Twin Peaks on Nero coin

Sebastian · December 10, 2024

Firstly, I would like to thank you for your comments on my recent text about the Marcus Aurelius tridrachma. Today's piece may not be as spectacular in terms of appearance or condition as Aurelius's tridrachma, but I believe it offers an equally intriguing chapter in the story of Cappadocian coinage during the Roman Empire. Join me on another journey to the Anatolian plateau.

"Diane, 11:30 AM, February 24. I'm entering the town of Twin Peaks. Five miles south of the Canadian border, twelve miles west of the state line. Never seen so many trees in my life. As W.C. Fields would say, I'd rather be here than in Philadelphia. Fifty-four degrees Fahrenheit, a slightly overcast day. The weatherman said rain."

This is the report Agent Cooper recorded as he entered the mysterious town of Twin Peaks in the first episode of David Lynch's iconic series. Little did he know that millennia earlier, a similarly mysterious twin-peaked city—Comana or Hierapolis (the Holy City)—existed in ancient Cappadocia, renowned for its Great Temple of the goddess Mâ, which attracted throngs of pilgrims.

Speaking of Cappadocian coinage, a mint operated in Comana during the Kingdom of Cappadocia, where successive rulers of the Ariarathid dynasty struck silver drachmas. During the Roman Imperial period, when Comana became part of a Roman province, its minting activity was brief and sporadic. Only three types of bronze coins from Nero's reign and about a dozen silver coin types from Hadrian's rule are known. Typically, only a few specimens of each type have survived to this day.

The coin I present today, minted under Nero, is no exception, with only eight specimens known. It was most likely struck in AD 55, as indicated by the letter "B" on the reverse, signifying the second year of Nero's reign. This date is further corroborated by Nero's youthful portrait. How do we know this coin was minted in Cappadocian Comana? The legend provides the clue: ΙΕΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟϹ ΤΩ ϹΑΡ—"of the people of Hierapolis by the Sarus [River]." While there were several cities named Hierapolis in Asia Minor, Strabo’s Geographica clarifies: “The Sarus River flows through this city [Comana/Hierapolis] and exits through the Taurus gorges into the Cilician plains and the sea below.”

The reverse of the coin, depicting the "Twin Peaks," is particularly fascinating. The left peak features an entrance to a cave at its base, while the right peak is crowned with a pedestal. A similar but larger coin type (RPC I 3661A), measuring 28 mm, shows a statue of a woman with a shield and helmet atop the right peak. This likely represents the goddess Mâ or Athena, aligning with Plutarch’s description of the local cult as that of Mâ-Athena.

The topographical depiction of the twin peaks matches the geographical features of the site, making it a realistic representation. Could these two peaks have formed a majestic gateway to ancient Comana, where pilgrims were greeted by a colossal statue of the goddess? Did Sulla and Julius Caesar see such a sight as they entered the sacred city? No other coin replicated this imagery, leaving us to imagine, like Agent Cooper, what secrets the ancient "Twin Peaks" of Comana might have held.

This coin reminds us that every ancient piece has a story to tell, often inviting us on a remarkable journey to uncover what remains hidden in the annals of history.

Denomination: Æ (20 mm)

Obverse: Laureate head of Nero to right, ΝΕΡΩΝΟϹ ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΥ ΚΑΙϹΑΡΟϹ ϹΕΒΑϹΤΟΥ

Reverse: Two mountains, ΙΕΡΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΠΡΟϹ ΤΩ ϹΑΡ, Β

Reference: RPC I 3661.7, Sydenham, Caesarea -, Ganschow, Münzen 1102

Mint: Cappadocia, Comana (Hierapolis), 55 A.D.

Weight: 5,79 g

Diameter: 20,00mm

Provenance: Biga Numismatics

https://www.colleconline.com/en/collection-items/21237/coins-ancient-to-romans-provincial-in-the-shadow-of-mount-argaeus-cappadocia-roman-province

Edited December 10, 2024 by Sebastian