A less common Himyarite ruler

[Parthicus]

@robinjojo's recent post of some early Arabian coinage from the Lihyan kingdom finally nudged me into posting this recent acquisition:

Arabia Felix, Himyarite Kingdom. AR Unit or quinarius (1.7 g, 15 mm, scyphate). Raydan mint. Th'aran Ya'ub (mid-late 1st century CE). Obverse: Male head right with hair in ringlets, monogram behind. Reverse: Small male head right with hair in ringlets, to right staff (?), above and behind head inscription in Sabaean naming king, below RYDN (Raydan). Sear Greek Imperial 5721.  This coin: Purchased from Zurqieh, October 2024.

The Himyarites were one of the main kingdoms active in the southern Arabian peninsula in the region known to the Romans as Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia), which roughly covers the modern territory of Yemen. While calling that impoverished and war-torn region "happy" today would seem perverse, it was not always so. During the first few centuries CE, the local climate was less arid and supported extensive agriculture including frankincense and myrrh, two aromatic plant products which were prized throughout the Mediterranean world for their use in perfumes, incense, and medicines. The region also traded with eastern Africa, including the Axumite Kingdom. The Himyarite Kingdom was active from about 110 BCE to 525 CE, when they were conquered by Axum. The Himyarites seem to have had their own Semitic language called Himyarite (possibly related to modern Amharic of Ethiopia), but inscriptions on coins and elsewhere are written in Sabaean, the Old South Arabian language of their neighbors and eventual subjects. The kingdom was originally polytheistic, but around 380 CE the kings converted to Judaism, perhaps in an attempt to maintain neutrality between their powerful Christian and Zoroastrian neighbors.

The most common Himyarite coins are of this type, issued around 50- 150 CE. The standard denomination or unit is often referred to as a quinarius, as it is about the same size and weight as the Roman coin, although we don't know what the local name of the coin was. Several different kings are named in the inscriptions, by far the most common are 'Amdan Bayan and 'Amdan Bayan Yanaf. (It is not even certain if these are actually two different kings, or just two versions of one king's name.) This coin, however, bears the less common king name of Th'aran Ya'ub.  Unfortunately historical information on these kings is severely lacking, little is known beyond their names.  (Later Himyarite history is better documented, but those rulers don't seem to have any coinage attributable to them.)  Coins of this type are scyphate (cup-shaped), with the reverse side in the concave portion.  I was able to purchase this specimen (attributed as Himyarite but not assigned to a king) for $36.  The toning is rather dark, but considering the nice state of preservation and scarcer king I'd say I did well.   Please post your Himyarite or other related coins.

[mcwyler]

One of several fascinating lesser known kingdoms around in the first few centuries AD. About which I know almost nothing, but I did pick this up a few months ago. If anyone can give me more detail it would be great, I can just about read Latin and some greek inscriptions but Sabaean? Nah.

Arabia, Himyarites Uncertain mint Quinarius I century, AR 14.00 mm., 1.77 g.

[Sulla80]

a nice "quinarius" - here's another that I think is from the same king...

https://www.sullacoins.com/post/coins-of-arbia-felix-himyarite-kingdom-starter-kit

Taʾrān Yaʿūb (Yuhanʿim) (c. 175–215 CE)

"It is therefore very likely that the Taʾrān Yaʿūb of the coins is the king whom the inscriptions call Taʾrān Yaʿūb Yuhanʿim. Taʾrān Yaʿūb Yuhanʿim sent a delegation to Ḥaḍramawt for the coronation of Ilīʿazz Yaluṭ, which took place before 218 CE (144 radm.). If he was the son of Dhamarʿalī Yuhabirr (attested in 136 and 157–158 CE), this would mean that both kings occupied the throne for a very long time."

See: https://www.academia.edu/37659378/_Ḥimyarites_Kings_on_Coinage_dans_Coinage_of_the_Caravan_Kingdoms_Studies_in_Ancient_Arabian_Monetization_edited_by_Martin_Huth_and_Peter_G._van_Alfen_Numismatics_Studies_25_New_York_The_American_Numismatic_Society_2010_pp._357-381

Edited November 1, 2024 by Sulla80

[JAZ Numismatics]

I wonder if it's appropriate to call these coins quinarii. Were they actually designed to achieve parity with the Roman denomination? It's possible. By the time the Himyarites conquered Saba in the late 1st century BC, the Nabataeans' overland trade had been seriously compromised by Roman ships. The Romans were bypassing the middlemen and going directly to the source of the spices. No doubt the Romans paid for the spices with their own gold and silver coin. Perhaps the Himyarites needed some small change of Roman standard with which to trade for smaller items? This kingdom left paltry few written records, and even the archaeology is pitifully sparse.

[robinjojo]

2 hours ago, Parthicus said:

@robinjojo's recent post of some early Arabian coinage from the Lihyan kingdom finally nudged me into posting this recent acquisition:

Arabia Felix, Himyarite Kingdom. AR Unit or quinarius (1.7 g, 15 mm, scyphate). Raydan mint. Th'aran Ya'ub (mid-late 1st century CE). Obverse: Male head right with hair in ringlets, monogram behind. Reverse: Small male head right with hair in ringlets, to right staff (?), above and behind head inscription in Sabaean naming king, below RYDN (Raydan). Sear Greek Imperial 5721.  This coin: Purchased from Zurqieh, October 2024.

The Himyarites were one of the main kingdoms active in the southern Arabian peninsula in the region known to the Romans as Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia), which roughly covers the modern territory of Yemen. While calling that impoverished and war-torn region "happy" today would seem perverse, it was not always so. During the first few centuries CE, the local climate was less arid and supported extensive agriculture including frankincense and myrrh, two aromatic plant products which were prized throughout the Mediterranean world for their use in perfumes, incense, and medicines. The region also traded with eastern Africa, including the Axumite Kingdom. The Himyarite Kingdom was active from about 110 BCE to 525 CE, when they were conquered by Axum. The Himyarites seem to have had their own Semitic language called Himyarite (possibly related to modern Amharic of Ethiopia), but inscriptions on coins and elsewhere are written in Sabaean, the Old South Arabian language of their neighbors and eventual subjects. The kingdom was originally polytheistic, but around 380 CE the kings converted to Judaism, perhaps in an attempt to maintain neutrality between their powerful Christian and Zoroastrian neighbors.

The most common Himyarite coins are of this type, issued around 50- 150 CE. The standard denomination or unit is often referred to as a quinarius, as it is about the same size and weight as the Roman coin, although we don't know what the local name of the coin was. Several different kings are named in the inscriptions, by far the most common are 'Amdan Bayan and 'Amdan Bayan Yanaf. (It is not even certain if these are actually two different kings, or just two versions of one king's name.) This coin, however, bears the less common king name of Th'aran Ya'ub.  Unfortunately historical information on these kings is severely lacking, little is known beyond their names.  (Later Himyarite history is better documented, but those rulers don't seem to have any coinage attributable to them.)  Coins of this type are scyphate (cup-shaped), with the reverse side in the concave portion.  I was able to purchase this specimen (attributed as Himyarite but not assigned to a king) for $36.  The toning is rather dark, but considering the nice state of preservation and scarcer king I'd say I did well.   Please post your Himyarite or other related coins.

Thank you for the informative write-up!  The Himyarites are one kingdom that I know little about. Actually my knowledge of the Arabian peninsula in ancient times is quite sketchy.  I suppose that I paid scant attention to Himyarite coinage due to my interest in the imitative coins patterned along the lines of the Athenian owl.  This year I did pick up a Himyarite silver unit or drachm, first century BC, with an owl on an amphora on the reverse, thus making at least that side patterned on the Athenian new style coinage of the 2nd to 1st centuries BC.

The coin itself is not in great shape - obviously buried for a considerable length of time, so there's plenty of corrosion on both sides, particularly on the obverse, and there's weight loss.  Also, the obverse is double struck (die shift).  

 4.26 grams

 

Edited November 1, 2024 by robinjojo

[Parthicus]

Thanks for the comments, everyone.  It appears that my original coin, @mcwyler's coin, and @Sulla80's coin are all of the same ruler.  But notice there is an interesting variation in script style between my specimen and the other two.  In the exergue legend that gives the mint name, the second letter (from right) looks like a T on specimens 2 and 3, while on my coin the crossbar at the top is instead a small open circle.  Also, the first letter of the king's name looks like a capital I (with crossbars at top and bottom) on specimens 2 and 3, while on my coin the top and bottom crossbars are (again) open circles.  Also, on @Sulla80's coin and mine (but not @mcwyler's) the third letter of the mint name (representing the "D" sound) is different- the leftward projection on that specimen is a full closed triangle, giving the letter the appearance of an axe, while on the first two coins one side of the triangle is missing.  Maybe just different choices by different die engravers?

Also, thanks to @JAZ Numismatics for the discussion of local economics, I enjoy facts and speculation about how coins were actually used by people both locally and in long-distance trade.

[mcwyler]

The orthographic differences may also just be mistakes. For all I know, for that matter, spelling was unimportant in that culture, just as English in Shakspyrs tyme was spellte howe yey lykd.
 

[Sulla80]

Here are the letters I see on my coin:

 

Using the alphabet found here. https://coinweek.com/ancient-coins/coinweek-ancient-coin-series-ancient-coinage-of-yemen/

The letter at the 6th position has me stumped - I went with "H" with no strong rationale.

I think I see: or

I agree with @Parthicus that is seems D and T are both used for the name of the ruler.

Edited November 2, 2024 by Sulla80

[JAZ Numismatics]

@Sulla80 I've only begun studying this script, but I believe this dot is the little "o" letter indicating a fricative. It's not part of the letter next to it (even though it very much looks like it). Similar to how you see O spelled as a dot on some Seleucid coins. 

The wiki page is more useful because it compares the alphabet to related scripts, and it gives you the IPA, so you can put the sounds together and get an idea of the pronunciation...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_South_Arabian_script

The lettering is still generally enigmatic to me, however. I have to keep studying it. I don't know that anyone's ever done an analysis of the differing letter styles on these coins.

Edited November 2, 2024 by JAZ Numismatics

[JAZ Numismatics]

What I can decipher, reading counterclockwise is TH ' R N Y ? • B then the next letter looks like N, rotated 90 degrees, sitting on top of a box. Is the box a letter or symbol? Or is the whole thing a monogram? In attributions, the king's name is usually transliterated as Th'aRaN Ya`uB, so I'm at least on the right track.

Edited November 2, 2024 by JAZ Numismatics