Ephesus- not just about bees and stags. The Artemis cult and my new Julia Mamaea

[expat]

The Temple of Artemis or Artemision (Greek: Ἀρτεμίσιον; Turkish: Artemis Tapınağı), also known as the Temple of Diana, was a Greek temple dedicated to an ancient, localised form of the goddess Artemis (equalized to Diana, a Roman goddess). It was located in Ephesus (near the modern town of Selçuk in present-day Turkey). By AD 401 it had been ruined or destroyed.[1] Only foundations and fragments of the last temple remain at the site.

The earliest version of the temple (a Bronze Age temenos) antedated the Ionic immigration by many years. Callimachus, in his Hymn to Artemis, attributed it to the Amazons. In the 7th century BC, it was destroyed by a flood.

Its reconstruction, in more grandiose form, began around 550 BC, under Chersiphron, the Cretan architect, and his son Metagenes. The project was funded by Croesus of Lydia, and took 10 years to complete. This version of the temple was destroyed in 356 BC by an arsonist, commonly thought to have been a madman named Herostratus.

The next, greatest, and last form of the temple, funded by the Ephesians themselves, is described in Antipater of Sidon's list of the world's Seven Wonders:

What remains today.

Archeologists discovered a rich foundation deposit from this era, also called the "Artemision deposit", yielded more than a thousand items, including what may be the earliest coins made from the silver-gold alloy electrum.[11] The deposit contains some of the earliest inscribed coins, those of Phanes, dated to 625–600 BC from Ephesus, with the legend ΦΑΕΝΟΣ ΕΜΙ ΣΗΜΑ (or similar) ("I am the badge of Phanes"), or just bearing the name ΦΑΝΕΟΣ ("of Phanes")

Some examples ( sadly not my coins)

Electrotype of electrum coin from Ephesus, 625–600 BC. Stag grazing right, ΦΑΕΝΟΣ ΕΜΙ ΣΕΜΑ (retrograde, "I am the badge of Phanes").

The earliest known inscribed coinage, from the foundation deposit of the Temple of Artemis: electrum coin of Phanes from Ephesus, 625–600 BC. Obverse: Stag grazing right, ΦΑΝΕΟΣ (retrograde). Reverse: Two incuse punches, each with raised intersecting lines

Which brings us to my new acquisition. Julia Mamaea with an interesting reverse. Each year there was a celebratory procession which featured a portrayal of Artemis carried along by two horses pulling a 4 wheeled sacred carriage called a carpentum.

My coin

Ionia. Ephesos. Julia Mamaea. Augusta AD 225-235.
Bronze Æ
28 mm, 11,52 g
RPC Volume: VI №: 4977 (temporary)
Reign: Severus Alexander Persons: Julia Mamaea (Augusta)
City: Ephesus  Region: Ionia Province: Asia (conventus of Ephesus)
Denomination: Æ (30 mm) Average weight: 10.83 g.
Obverse: ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΜΑΜΑΙΑ ϹΕΒ; diademed and draped bust of Julia Mamaea, right
Translation: Julia Mamaea Augusta
Reverse: ΑΠΗΜΗ ΙΕΡΑ ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ (or ΕΦΕϹΙΩΝ ΑΠΗΜΗ ΙΕΡΑ); carpentum
drawn by two horses, right
Translation: sacred carriage, of the Ephesians
Reference: Karwiese 806–7

Thanks for reading

 

 

Edited September 28 by expat

[Roman Collector]

Here's what the mysterious poet with the pseudonym of Senex Caecilius has to say about it!

The Artemision

Higgledy-Piggledy
Temple of Artemis,
Wonder of Wonders, in
Ephesus stood;
Housed in the shrine was a
Multimammiferous
Symbol of fruitfulness
Carved out of wood.

Here's my provincial of Faustina II with a similar cult statue from the Artemision in Neapolis.


Faustina II, AD 147-175.
Roman provincial Æ 19.8 mm, 5.32 g.
Samaria, Neapolis, AD 161/162.
Obv: ΦΑVCΤЄΙΝΑΝ CΕΒΑCΤΗΝ, bare-headed and draped bust, right.
Rev: ΦΛ ΝЄΑC ΠΟΛЄⲰC CVΡ ΠΑΛЄ, cultus-statue, resembling Ephesian Artemis, standing facing, flanked by stags; her head-dress surmounted by small temple; across field, ЄΤ-Ϟ (= year 90 of the Era of Neapolis = AD 161/162).
Refs: RPC IV.3 6348; BMC 68-69; SNG Cop 17; cf. Sear 1801; cf Wiczay 6204.

Edited September 29 by Roman Collector
I have OCD

[CPK]

Interesting coin and post @expat - thanks for sharing!

[shanxi]

This Homonoia issue with Hierapolis shows a nice depiction of Artemis Ephesia

Valerian I (253-260).
Phrygia, Hierapolis.
Homonoia issue with Ephesus.
Obv: Α Κ Π ΟVAΛЄΡΙΑΝΟC, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: IЄPAΠΟΛЄΙΤΩΝ K ЄΦЄCΙΩΝ ΝЄΟΚΟΡΩΝ / OMONOIA, Serapis standing right, holding sceptre; to right, facing statue of Artemis Ephesia, with supports.
AE, 15g, 29.86mm

 

but from Ephesos there are also other depictions of Artemis:

Artemis with biga of stags

Geta
Ionia, Ephesus
Obv.: Λ CЄ Π ΓЄTAC K, bareheaded, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev.: ЄΦЄCIΩN, Artemis driving biga of stags right, drawing arrow from quiver and holding bow.
AE, 3.15g, 17mm
Ref.: SNG München 169-70

 

or Artemis riding on a stag

Valerian I
Ionia, Ephesos.
(AD 253-260)
Obv: AYT K ΠO ΛIKINI OYAΛEPIANOC, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
Rev: EΦECIΩN A ACIAC, Artemis seated on stag right; holding bow and drawing arrow from quiver.
AE, 8.68g, 25mm
Ref.: Karwiese 1136 (V12/R54); BMC -; SNG von Aulock -, RPC X, — (unassigned; ID 61035) [this coin]

 

[Ryro]

Great new coin! That reverse is very cool. 

I wish we had better cults these days, like that of Artemis is Ephesia. Ones that got you drunk and laid, instead of God fearing, cool aid drinking, and dead.

Here's one of my favorite Augustii and Artemis

Aurelian
Pisidia. Kremna AD 270-
275.
Bronze Æ 32mm., 14,18g.
Laureate, draped and
cuirassed bust right / Facing
statue of Artemis Ephesia,
with supports. nearly very
fine Cf. Von Aulock, Pisidien
II 1621-3.
Ex Savoca London

[Ancient Aussie]

Very interesting coin expat, and great topic. I have to admit being a bit disappointed when I visited the site of the temple of Artemis, but was lucky enough to pick up a coin of the great temple.

Claudius I (AD 41-54). AR cistophorus (10.8gm,26mm, 6h). NGC Fine. Ephesus, ca. AD 41-42. TI CLAVD-CAES AVG, bare head of Claudius I left / DIAN-EPHE, tetrastyle temple with three steps containing central standing figure of Diana Ephesia, polos on head and fillets hanging from wrists; shield, altars, two stags and figures in pediment. RIC I 118.
Ex Heritage online auction Dec 2020, lot 61118.(10.8gm,26mm, 6h).

Edited September 29 by Ancient Aussie

[Dajo]

Well, this should be  the statue.

Ephesia, cistophoros, Claudius & Agrippina jr, 51 AD

Cohen 1, RIC 119, BMC 231, Sear 1888