My very own Sicilian Tet... (somewhat) - a skillful design imitation

[Helvius Pertinax]

Unfortunately, I am not financially blessed enough to be able to own a Selinos Tetradrachm, and I am quite confident that I never will. Yet, it's quite charming design, unbeknownst to me, actually made it's way into my collection!

The coin I am talking about (a Stater from Side) was quite cheap either way at 220€, but it sounds like even better of a deal considering coins with the exact same design (on one side at least) regularly sell at 10x or more!

 

At some point, an example from Selinos must have made the roughly 2000 km journey eastwards to Pamphylia, where it got... reinterpreted by a local engraver, working at the mint of Side.

 

 

And that quite well, I actually prefer this rendering of Apollo over many of the Selinos dies. This is not the only instance of Anatolian engravers taking a little inspiration from Sicily. Most notably, Pharnabazos' early issues, called the lady/Ares type by Moysey, copy an earlier rendering of Arethusa by Kimon, with fractions sometimes even keeping the swimming dolphins.

 

 

This phenomenon is both common and fun, in the case of Pharnabazos it may have been an attempt of paying greek mercenaries in coins they were familiar with.

 

Please share any related coins, especially coins copied or inspired by other types!

[Deinomenid]

Great idea!

There's one slight wrinkle I'm afraid in that the coin you show likely isn't Apollo,  but the local Selinuntine river god, in almost  human form. You can see his horn (a few claim it is a filet*) but the words on the coin name him. Apollo is on the other side, in his chariot with  his sister. That branch  (presumably  now ingrained from whatever original source by lots of copy and paste by auction houses) is a "lustral branch of purification"!

That's a lovely Side coin regardless, congratulations. 

On the theme though Selinus  itself was once said to have copied that iconic Arethusa  image here, though that view was overruled on both dating and the fact that it was determined it was actually Herakles! Easy mistake to make ahem-

SICILY. Selinos. Circa 410 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 15 mm, 1.83 g, 5 h). Head of Herakles facing slightly to left, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. ΣΕΛΙΝΟΝΤΙΟΝ Charioteer driving quadriga galloping to left, holding kentron in his right hand and reins in his left; above, selinon leaf.


 

 

 

PS. Apologies if this is far too much  information, but for completeness I have this note, though can't locate the source (think lamoneta) but if it is a filet  as per below image then it is probably worth adding. Honestly, the debates over the images on this  polis' coins keep an entire academic cottage industry going -

Who is shown on the tet coins?
The  obvious example is the "eponymous" name as  one says  Hypas and one says  Selinos, the 2 rivers of Selinus and therefore the 2 river gods. However the god looks like Apollo as shown on many different coins and the words might  just acknowledge the rivers WHILE showing Apollo. The name of the river shown on the coin, such as Selinos for the tetradrachm of Selinunte and Hypsas for the didrachm of the same city, does not necessarily identify "tout court" the figure represented therein. The name Selinos refers to the main river and in fact is reported on the major nominal, the tetradrachm, while the name Hypsas refers to the second river of the city, of lesser importance also in terms of size and water flow and in fact occurs only on the lower nominal, the didrachm. Although they are two distinct rivers (as can also be seen in the map below), the figure represented is practically identical and therefore implies that it must have the same meaning that goes beyond the specific name and relative personification.

 

[Deinomenid]

Here's another eastern state borrowing an image (and arguably improving on it!)-

Soloi AR-Stater, 385/350 BC BC;. Athena head r. with Attic helmet, griffin as a helmet ornament with a ~420BC  Thurium  coin.

 

 

[Helvius Pertinax]

On 11/2/2024 at 4:30 PM, Deinomenid said:

Great idea!

There's one slight wrinkle I'm afraid in that the coin you show likely isn't Apollo,  but the local Selinuntine river god, in almost  human form. You can see his horn (a few claim it is a filet*) but the words on the coin name him. Apollo is on the other side, in his chariot with  his sister. That branch  (presumably  now ingrained from whatever original source by lots of copy and paste by auction houses) is a "lustral branch of purification"!

That's a lovely Side coin regardless, congratulations. 

On the theme though Selinus  itself was once said to have copied that iconic Arethusa  image here, though that view was overruled on both dating and the fact that it was determined it was actually Herakles! Easy mistake to make ahem-

SICILY. Selinos. Circa 410 BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 15 mm, 1.83 g, 5 h). Head of Herakles facing slightly to left, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. ΣΕΛΙΝΟΝΤΙΟΝ Charioteer driving quadriga galloping to left, holding kentron in his right hand and reins in his left; above, selinon leaf.


 

 

 

PS. Apologies if this is far too much  information, but for completeness I have this note, though can't locate the source (think lamoneta) but if it is a filet  as per below image then it is probably worth adding. Honestly, the debates over the images on this  polis' coins keep an entire academic cottage industry going -

Who is shown on the tet coins?
The  obvious example is the "eponymous" name as  one says  Hypas and one says  Selinos, the 2 rivers of Selinus and therefore the 2 river gods. However the god looks like Apollo as shown on many different coins and the words might  just acknowledge the rivers WHILE showing Apollo. The name of the river shown on the coin, such as Selinos for the tetradrachm of Selinunte and Hypsas for the didrachm of the same city, does not necessarily identify "tout court" the figure represented therein. The name Selinos refers to the main river and in fact is reported on the major nominal, the tetradrachm, while the name Hypsas refers to the second river of the city, of lesser importance also in terms of size and water flow and in fact occurs only on the lower nominal, the didrachm. Although they are two distinct rivers (as can also be seen in the map below), the figure represented is practically identical and therefore implies that it must have the same meaning that goes beyond the specific name and relative personification.

 

Thanks, a favourite of mine in terms of artistry for sure! A very useful addition of knowledge too, I would not have guessed the Seliuntine original to be a local river god. The Persians most likely didn't care I'd reckon, they probably interpreted their own meanings to the characters portraited.

 

The mistake between Arethusa and Herakes is too funny, it does (kinda) look like your stereotypical forward facing lady! Perhaps they still drew their inspiration from it.

 

I hadn't registered the Thurium-Soloi one yet, the quality difference is miles apart. The Persians sure knew their art!