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Kyrene, Cyrenaica (Jason, magistrate)

cogito

By cogito

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[B]Kyrene, Cyrenaica (Jason magistrate; 332-322 BC.) AV Hemidrachm/Triobol[/B] [u]Obv[/u]: Three silphium plants arranged around central pellet, each with three umbels and one pair of leaves with leaflets; BMC silphium Type Ia. [u]Rev[/u]: Athena wearing crested Corinthian helmet and hair in formal curls, facing left; IAΣ behind and downwards (partially off flan); KYP above (off flan). [u]Attribution[/u]: Naville 41; BMC 134-35, Pl. XV (1-2); Weber col. 8440; Jameson 3, 88, 2138; SNG ANS 1211. [u]Provenance[/u]: [u]Weight[/u]: 2.01 gm. [u]Maximal Diameter[/u]: 11.0 mm [u]Axis[/u]: 12 [u]Note[/u]: Following a treaty with the Macedonian Empire upon its conquering of Egypt, Kyrene modified its coinage to conform with stylistic tendencies of Alexander III coinage. Athena appears for the first time on the Kyrene AV hemidrachms (nos. 134-7, Pl. XV. 1-5). She had been early identified with an indigenous armed goddess worshipped on the shores of Lake Tritonis (the lesser Syrtes), and her cult was old-established at Kyrene. Herodotus (ii. 182) brackets the dedication to her of a gilt statue by Amasis with the Pharaoh's other two dedications in Hellas, to Athena Lindia at Lindus and to Hera at Samos, while games celebrated in her honor are mentioned by Pindar. The threefold form (of silphium) was possibly adopted on the Attic hemidrachms or triobol to indicate its denomination. (BMC Cyrenaica pg. lxxx-lxxxi). GK219

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cogito

Thanks Alex. I was lucky with Pegasi...for once. After getting slapped down repeatedly with the European auctions this year, I was starting to become disheartened.

 

BTW - I figured you would like the Alexander III angle on this coin. I researched BMC Cyrenaica at the library and this coin is actually among a whole series of AV issues that were stuck on or near the treaty between Kyrene and the Macedonian Empire (c. 331 BC). The AV staters from this series typically feature a victorious theme, Hellenistic busts, and clear homage to Alexander. Though not explicitly stated in BMC, the inference is made that the high volume of Kyrene AV coin production and styles used during this period may reflect tribute paid to Alexander as part of the non-aggression treaty signed following the Macedonian invasion of Egypt.

 

Prior to 331 BC, the majority of devices and busts on Kyrenaician coins are Asiatic in style and artistic rendering (often mirroring the styles seen on the Lycian dynast protrait coinage). Additionally, Zeus Ammon tends to take a back seat as a Kyrenaician coin device during the early Macedonian and pre-Ptolemaic rule periods.

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