Another Riddle of the Sphinx: my new Chios kitty

[Ryro]

I'll start with sharing my new Chios coin:

ISLANDS off IONIA, Chios. Circa 400-380 BC. AR Drachm . Sphinx seated left; to left, grape bunch above amphora; HΓ monogram to right / Quadripartite incuse square. Mavrogordato 42a; HGC 6, 1124.Very Fine.

Weight:3,5 gr

Diameter:14,6 mm

(Chios is the fifth largest Greek island)

Chios was one of the earliest cities to mint coins! And they chose the Sphinx to be their emblem:

The Greeks erroneously thought the Sphinx was a female feline. But, why did a place so far from Egypt choose the lady Sphinx as their symbol? 

The amphora and grapes being on their coinage is clear enough. Chios was a major distributor of wine. The first King of Chios was Oinopeonas (or Inopion), grandson of Minos King of Crete, and son of Dionysus and Ariadne, who taught the islanders how to cultivate vines.

Sophocles told the story of Oedipus traveling to thebes and being asked a riddle by the Sphinx. The Sphinx asked a travelers a riddle and if you couldn't answer it correctly it would fly you up in the Egyptian sky only to drop you to your death and then eats your dead carcass. 

The riddle it asked Oedipus was "What creature walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?". Oedipus answered "man", who crawls as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and uses a cane in old age."

Here's my later bronze Chios Sphinx:

Ionia, Chios. ca.84-27 BC. AE (12mm, 2.16g). Sphinx seated right, forepaw raised over bunch of grapes. / Amphora. BMC 93.

Other non Egyptian coins feature the mythical creature. Here are a couple from all the way over in Spain:

SPAIN, Castulo
I Century BCE Æ As Diademed head, hand before / Helmeted Sphinx standing, star at right. Burgos.543. aVF, earthen brown patina.

IBERIA, Kastilo. Early 2nd century BC. Æ As (31mm, 26.02 g, 9h). Diademed head of male right / Griffin standing right, raising forepaw; to right, star above forepaw, KO (in Iberian) below. ACIP 2113. Earthen green-brown patina. Good Fine.

From El Iberico Collection.

 

Thanks for reading. If you've got a Sphinx or ten to share weed love to see em!

[Roman Collector]

Very cool Sphinges, @Ryro!! That new acquisition is beautiful. I don't have a single Sphinx in my collection, sadly, but I very much enjoyed reading this write up! 

[expat]

Very entertaining @Ryro and fantastic coinage. I have only one sphinx

Troas, Gergis. Circa 4th-3rd Century BC. AE12mm, 1.28 g. Head of Sibyl Herophile right, three-quarters facing / ΓEΡ, Sphinx sitting right. SNG von Aulock 1515; SNG Ashmolean 1147; SNG Cop 338.

[jdmKY]

T Carisius, denarius, 46 BC

[kirispupis]

Nice sphinx!

Here's my Chios, sans sphinx.

Islands off Ionia. Chios
circa 190-84 BCE
Æ 11 mm, 1,20 g

 

And here are a few sphinxes.

Pamphylia, Perge
260 - 230 BCE
AE 17mm 4.26g
Sphinx seated right /
ИANAΨAΣ ΠΡEIIAΣ; Artemis standing left, holding wreath and scepter.
Colin series 2.1; SNG France 355-61

 

Caria, Kaunos
c. 350-300 BCE
Æ 13mm, 1.66g, 12h
Bull butting r.
R/ Sphinx seated r.
Konuk pl. 50, B; SNG Copenhagen 182

 

Samaria, “Middle Levantine” Series
Circa 375-333 BCE
Minted by Delayah(?)
AR Obol 9mm, 0.81 g, 2h
Bridled horse stepping right; [DY (in Aramaic) above]; all within dotted square /
Winged sphinx, with head of Persian king, seated right; Y[D] (in Aramaic) above; all within dotted square.
Meshorer & Qedar 27; Sofaer 118–20

 

Troas. Gergis
circa 400-300 BCE
Æ 17 mm, 3,63 g
Laureate head of the sibyl Herophile facing slightly right / ΓEP, Sphinx seated right.

[Di Nomos]

Awesome coin and write up Ryro. One of my favourite coins in my collection is from Chios. 

Tetradrachm c. 350-330 BC.

Obv: Sphinx seated left; to left amphora surmounted by bunch of grapes. Rev: Striated quadripartite incuse square; on horizontal band, HPIΔANOΣ. 

Light old cabinet tone and extremely fine. 24mm, 12.79 g.

Baldwin, Chios 98. de Nanteuil 628. Weber 6257.

[DonnaML]

I have only two coins depicting Greek-style sphinxes, one of them the same type as the beautiful example shown by @jdmKY:

Roman Republic, T. Carisius, AR Denarius, 46 BCE, Rome mint. Obv. Head of Sibyl (or Sphinx) right, her hair elaborately decorated with jewels and enclosed in a sling, tied with bands / Rev. Human-headed Sphinx seated right with open wings, wearing cap, T•CARISIVS above,; in exergue, III•VIR. Crawford 464/1, RSC I Carisia 11 (ill.), Sear RCV I 446 (ill.), Sear Roman Imperators 69 (ill. p. 46), Sydenham 983a, BMCRR 4061. 19 mm., 3.87 g.*

 

*The head on the obverse is described simply as a “Sibyl” in Crawford, “Sibyl Herophile” in Sear, and “Aphrodisian Sibyl” (i.e., Sibyl relating to Aphrodite/Venus) in RSC and BMCRR. The Sibyl Herophile was the name of a Sibyl at Erythae in Ionia opposite Chios, also associated with Samos. Crawford notes at p. 476 that the combination of a Sibyl on the obverse and a sphinx on the reverse “recall those of Gergis in the Troad [citing BMC Troas, pp. xxx and 55], perhaps allud[ing] to Caesar’s Trojan origin,” the moneyer being a supporter of Caesar. See the examples of these coins of Gergis at https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/troas/gergis/i.html and https://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=79 . On each such coin, the Sibyl is characterized as “Sibyl Herophile.” Characterizing her as the “Aphrodisian” Sibyl would relate to the gens Julia’s legendary descent from Venus. The theory that the obverse instead portrays the head of the Sphinx on the reverse is presented in an article by D. Woods, “Carisius, Acisculus, and the Riddle of the Sphinx,” American Journal of Numismatics Vol. 25 (2013).

The “IIIVIR” in the exergue on the reverse refers to the moneyer’s position at the mint. See https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=IIIVIR, defining the term as a “Latin abbreviation: Triumvir. On coins of the Roman Republic IIIVIR is used as a shortened abbreviation for IIIVIR AAAFF, which abbreviates ‘III viri aere argento auro flando feiundo’ or ‘Three men for the casting and striking of bronze, silver and gold,’ a moneyer or mint magistrate.”

Hadrian, AE Drachm, Year 18 (133/134 AD), Alexandria, Egypt Mint. Obv. Laureate head right wearing cloak (paladumentum) and cuirass, seen from behind, AVT KAIC TPAIAN - ΑΔΡΙΑΝΟϹ ϹƐΒ / Rev. Sphinx with female human head and body of lioness, seated left, crowned with kalathos, wearing long drop earrings, wings curled upwards, tail erect, right forepaw resting on wheel, LI - H (Year 18) across fields. RPC III Online 5915 (see https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/3/5915 ), Emmett 1053.18, Milne 1427 at p. 34, BMC 16 Alexandria 848 at p. 99, K&G 32.603 (ill. p. 145), Dattari (Savio) 1996, Köln (Geissen) 1134 (same obverse die). Ex Economopoulos Numismatics, Holicong PA, Oct. 2021 (Nick Economopoulos, formerly of Pegasi Numismatics); ex CNG (Classical Numismatic Group), Mail Bid Sale 58, Lot 976, Sep. 19, 2001 (ill. at Catalog  p. 108). 33 mm., 26.23 g.

Edited November 3, 2024 by DonnaML

[TIF]

I have a finery of sphinges to share, mostly Alexandrian.  (Google says the collective noun for a group of sphinxes is a "finery", and I never pass up the chance to use the less common plural form of sphinx 🤣).

I'd love to have a Chios sphinx stater like @Ryro's.

 

Plain sphinx, in a reclined pose:

EGYPT, Alexandria. Domitian
Æ obol; 17.5 mm, 3.40 gm
RY 11 (91/92 CE)
Obv: laureate head right
Rev: Andro-Sphinx seated right; L A in exergue
Ref: Dattari (Savio) 570-1 var. (same); K&G 24.181 var. (same); RPC II 2645; Emmett 326.11; Köln 395 var. (position of date)
ex Rocky Mountain Collection of Alexandrian, purchased from William M. Rosenblum

 

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius
year 20, CE 156/7
AE obol, 18 mm, 4.36 gm
Obv: laureate head right
Rev: sphinx crouched/reclining left; L K above
Ref: Emmett 1782.20 (unlisted reverse for year 20); unlisted in Geissen and Dattari

 EGYPT, Alexandria. Marcus Aurelius as Caesar
AE obol, 20.5 mm, 6.0 gm. Alexandria.
Year 15 (CE 151/2)
Obv: MAVPHΛICKAICAP; bust right, bare head
Rev: Sphinx reclining right; LIE (date) above in left field
Ref: Emmett 1919.15, R5; Dattari 3221; RPC IV online 15684

 
Sphinx with a crocodile head protruding from its chest:

EGYPT, Alexandria. Hadrian
RY 18 (133/4 CE)
AE drachm; 33 mm, 24.75 gm, 12 h
Obv: AYT KAIC TPAIAN AΔPI[ANOC CЄΒ]; Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Hadrian to right, seen from behind
Rev: L - IH; Sphinx standing left, wearing hemhem crown, with head of a crocodile emerging from its breast and uraeus as tail; above, griffin seated left, resting its right paw on wheel
Ref: Dattari (Savio) 2004; Emmett 1056.18; K&G 32.597; RPC III 5912. Rare.
ex Rhakotis Collection, formed in the 1960s and 1970s

 

A non-Egyptian sphinx:

SELEUCIS and PIERIA, Gabala. Commodus
dated CY 233 (186/7 CE)
Æ 23mm, 7.28 g, 12h
Obv: Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust left
Rev: Owl standing on globe right, facing sphinx, wearing calathus and seated left on plinth
Ref: RPC IV.3 Online 5788
Ex Judy Day Frink Collection

 

Sphinx as a secondary device (you'll need to squint 🤣-- look under Athena's left elbow):

 KINGS of PERGAMON, Eumenes I
263-241 BCE
AR tetradrachm 29 mm, 16.94 gm
Obv: head of Philetairos right, wearing laurel wreath
Rev: ΦIΛETAIPOY; Athena enthroned left, right hand resting on shield set at her feet, gorgon on shield; left elbow resting on small sphinx seated right; transverse spear in background, ivy leaf above knee, monogram on throne, bow to right
Ref: BMC Greek (Mysia) 31, p.115; SNG France 1606–9
Formerly slabbed, NGC Ch AU 5/5 3/5, Fine Style
Ex Dr. Spencer Paterson Collection of Ancient coins, Great Collections 15 Sept 2019

 

[Qcumbor]

Great picture of Chios and coin

The obligatory "sphinx" questions :

https://youtu.be/DBkpSmOzJ5A?feature=shared

 

My sphinx

Q

Edited November 3, 2024 by Qcumbor

[Nerosmyfavorite68]

There's some very nice coins posted here.  I believe the only sphinx I have is the recent infamous Carisius denarius, which is too decrepit to show here.

[DonnaML]

Here's an Egyptian-style sphinx as a secondary device on a Napoleonic medal:

France, Directorate, AE Conquest of Lower Egypt, An VII (1798), Napoleon Bonaparte as Général de l'armée d'Orient (struck 1810 after Napoleon’s coronation as Emperor)*, Paris Mint. Artist: N.G.A. [Nicolas Guy Antoine] Brenet, under director Dominique Vivant, Baron Denon. Obv. River god Nile reclining to his left [after statue presently in Vatican Museum], holding sheaf of grain in his right hand, his left arm supported on sphinx (modeled after Great Sphinx, with lion’s body, front paws resting on exergue line, and head of pharaoh wearing royal headdress [Nemes]); beside Nile’s left shoulder, a cornucopiae with grapes; playing around and upon Nile, seven children or putti, including one standing before Nile’s left knee with his arm in mouth of small crocodile**; in exergue in three lines, CONQUÊTE DE LA | BASSE ÉGYPTE | AN VII; above exergue line to left, signed BRENET / Rev. View of the three pyramids of Giza, with Great Pyramid in foreground, missing capstone, second pyramid behind with casing on top intact, and third pyramid in background; in exergue in two lines, DENON DIR. G. [général] DU | MUSÉE C. D. [central des] ARTS; in two further lines beneath: _________ | BRENET.

Sources:

David Thomason Alexander, A Napoleonic Medal Primer (2022), No. 14 (p. 40; ill. p. 41) (available at https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/book/618630);

Hennin 850 at pp. 594-595 [Michel Hennin, Histoire numismatique de la révolution française . . . depuis l'ouverture des Etats-généraux jusqu'à l'établissement du gouvernement consulaire (Paris 1826)] (7 children);

Todd pp. 78-79 (obv. ill. p. 53, rev. ill. p. 81) [Richard A. Todd, Napoleon’s Medals: Victory to the Arts (The History Press, UK, 2009)]; Zeitz 8 p. 48 (ill. p. 49) [Lisa & Joachim Zeitz, Napoleons Medaillen (Petersberg Imhof 2003)];

Julius 628 p. 39 [Sammlung Dr. [Paul] Julius, Heidelberg: Französische Revolution Napoleon I. und seine Zeit : Medaillen, Orden und Ehrenzeichen, Münzen (Auktion 11 Jan. 1932, Otto Helbing Nachf., München, Auktions-Katalog 66), available at Newman Numismatic Portal;

Trésor Numismatique Vol. 13, 68.6 p. 89, ill. Planche LXVIII No. 6 [Paul Delaroche, Henriquel Dupont & Charles Lenormant, eds., Trésor de numismatique et de glyptique Fol. 13, Médailles de la Révolution Française, 5 Mai 1789 - 18 Mai 1804 (1836), available at gallica.bnf.fr] (7 children);

Laskey VIII pp. 17-18 [Capt. J.C. Laskey, A Description of the Series of Medals Struck at the National Medal Mint by Order of Napoleon Bonaparte (London 1818)] (7 children).  

33.08 mm., 13.73 g.  Purchased at Künker [Fritz Rudolf Künker GmbH & Co. KG, Osnabrück, Germany] eLive Auction 77, 17-19 Apr. 2023, Lot 2786 (from Collection of Siegfried von Schuckmann); ex Künker eLive Auction 46, July 2017, Lot 447; ex Leipziger Münzhandlung Auktion 60, Leipzig 16 May 2008, Lot 867 (Sammlung Hans-O. Finn).   [Footnotes omitted]

[DonnaML]

55 minutes ago, Nerosmyfavorite68 said:

There's some very nice coins posted here.  I believe the only sphinx I have is the recent infamous Carisius denarius, which is too decrepit to show here.

Why infamous?

[robinjojo]

Wonderful examples posted!

Here's my only sphinx.  

Spain, Castulo, AE As, 200-150 BC.  Purchased from Roma Numismatics' E-Sale 61, lot 67.

ACHP 2113

32.77 grams

Edited November 3, 2024 by robinjojo