The document summarizes the coin designs from various Greek cities in the 2nd century BC. Key details include:
- Many coins featured gods/goddesses associated with the particular city such as Athena for Athens and Apollo for Delphi.
- Events and myths sometimes depicted include the founding myths of cities and festivals honoring key deities.
- Political changes could influence designs, such as Athens introducing a new owl/amphora coin after gaining new territories from Rome.
- Coins from some cities referenced important local sanctuaries or cult statues like the colossal Apollo statue at Apollonia.
5. Etretria
Obv. Bust of Artemis to right wearing a necklace, earring and a chiton, and
with her bow and quiver over her left shoulder
Rev. Steer standing right, its head, adorned with a taenia, turned towards the
viewer; all within laurel wreath
20. Confederation of Athena Ilias
Obv. Head of Athena helmeted r.
Rev. Athena Ilias standing right, holding distaff and filleted spear; at her feet,
owl standing right to right, winged caduceus to left.
55. Confederation of Athena Ilias
Obv. Head of Athena helmeted r.
Rev. Athena Ilias standing right, holding distaff and filleted spear; at her feet,
owl standing right to right, winged caduceus to left.
57. Mytilene
Obv. Head of Zeus Ammonlaur. r. with ram’s horn.
Rev. Cult statue of bearded Dionysos facing, wearing a polos
58. ApolloniaPontica
Obv. Head of Apollo laur. r.
Rev. Apollo standing facing, head left, on low basis, holding laurel branch
in r., in which a bird is perched, bow and two arrows in l.
59. ApolloniaPontica
• Strabo 7.6.1: The greater part of Apollonia
was founded on a certain isle, where there
is a temple of Apollo, from which Marcus
Lucullus carried off the colossal statue of
Apollo, a work of Calamis, which he set up
in the Capitolium.
• Pliny 34.18: As to boldness of design, the
examples are innumerable; for we see
designed, statues of enormous bulk,
known as colossal statues and equal to
towers in size. Such, for instance, is the
Apollo in the Capitol, which was brought
by M. Lucullus from Apollonia, a city of
Pontus, thirty cubits in height, and which
cost five hundred talents
60. Cos
Obv. Head of Korer.
Rev. Asclepius standing r, resting l. on snake-staff
63. Cyzicus and the Soteria
ὁθεὸρἔσ[πηζεηάδε·ἐπειδὴ]
ἐπιηεηελέκ[αηεηὰνθςζίανκαὶ]
[ονηᾶιΚόπαι] 4
ηᾶιΣωηείπαικαλῶ[ρκαὶεὐζεβέ]-
ωρκαὶεὐηςσῶρ, λώϊον [ἐζζεῖηαι]
[ηεζ]-
ζινἐρἀνθπώποςρἱεπὰνηὰνπ[ό]- 8
λινοὖζανκαηὰηοὺρσπ[η]ζμοὺρ
καὶηὰνθςζίανηᾶρ θεᾶρ.
(SEG 28.670)
For Rhodes see SGDI 3752
64. Athens (162/1 BC)
Obv. Head of Athens in triple crested helmet r.
Rev. Owl standing on amphora
65. “In 167, the Roman Senate rewarded the Athenians with
control of Delos, Lemnos, Imbros, and Skyros….
Delegations from these four islands very probably took
part in the succeeding Great Panathenaia in 166/5. The
importance of the celebration and its clear association
with the identity of the city may be seen in the
introduction at just this time of Athenian new-style
coinage which, on the reverse, showed an owl standing
on a horizontal Panathenaic amphora and surrounded by
an olive crown. Although this new type may be
connected with the political events of the 160’s, it could
equally have been intended to celebrate the 400th
anniversary of the Great Panathenaia and it emphasized
the close connection between the city, the goddess, and
the festival” (Shear, p. 615).
71. When the people decided to use its own
bronze coinage, both so that the city’s coin
type should be used as the current type, and
so that the people should receive the profit
from this revenue, and chose men who would
safeguard this trust piously and justly, Menas
was appointed and, together with his
colleague, showed the appropriate care. As a
result, through the justice and pride of these
men, the people uses its own coinage.’ (GIBM
1000; IGSK Sestos1, ll. 43-49)
80. Phaselis
Obv. Head of Apollo laur. l.
Rev. Athena standing l., resting l. on spear, extended r. supporting Nike
who holds wreath in r. and stylis in l.
81. Priene
Obv. Head of Athena in triple crested helmet r.
Rev. Bias of Priene standing facing holding staff; to r., tripod.