Robi Posted September 10 · Member Share Posted September 10 Hello group! I would like to share a coin that I recently received, which has a unique reverse - I have not seen anything like it anywhere - two symbols of the ancient world together: a sphinx and an owl - why did fate bring them together on the coin during the reign of Commodus? And, from what I saw, this type appears without a countermark - does anyone recognize what these letters/symbols might be (they are a bit blurred) Share your owls and sphinx 🙂 Greetings, Robert Kh. Commodus (AD 177-192). Seleucis and Pieria. Gabala Owl, RPC IV 5788 Date: AD 177-192 Obverse: Laureate draped cuirassed bust of Commodus left Reverse: Owl standing right on globe, head facing; to right, sphinx seated left on base, wearing kalathos 15 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIF Posted September 10 · Supporter Share Posted September 10 I am also drawn to this interesting reverse :). 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 10 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor Ancient Coin Hunter Posted September 10 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted September 10 (edited) Very interesting reverse type, to be sure. Here's what I found at RPC — Coin: 202218 (ox.ac.uk): City Gabala Region Syria Reign Commodus Obverse inscription ΑΥΤ ΚΑΙϹΑΡ Μ (or ΚΑΙ ΜΑ) ΑΥΡ ΚοΜοΔοΝ (second Μ inverted) Obverse design laureate-headed bust of Commodus wearing cuirass and paludamentum, left Reverse inscription ΓΑΒΑΛΕΩΝ ΔϹ ΓΛϹ ΚΤ (Ω may be shaped as Ω, ΚΤ in exergue) Reverse design to left, owl standing on globe, right, head, facing; to right, sphinx standing on base, left, wearing kalathos Edited September 10 by Ancient Coin Hunter 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roman Collector Posted September 10 · Patron Share Posted September 10 (edited) Interesting iconography, to be sure. The "sphinx" has been interpreted as Astarte. The owl refers to Athena. Here is what Wroth writes in the introduction to BMC Greek volume 20: Edited September 10 by Roman Collector 5 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMonkeySwag96 Posted September 11 · Member Share Posted September 11 I don’t have any owls, yet I do have a Sphinx: Moneyer issues of Imperatorial Rome. T. Carisius. 46 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.83 g, 3h). Rome mint. Head of Sibyl Herophile right, hair elaborately decorated with jewels and enclosed in a sling and tied with bands / Sphinx seated right. Crawford 464/1; CRI 69; Sydenham 983; Carisia 10. Good VF, toned, areas of flat strike. From the Demetrios Armounta Collection. Ex Baldwin’s 57 (23 September 2008), lot 59. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robi Posted Sunday at 09:57 PM · Member Author Share Posted Sunday at 09:57 PM @TIF thank You for sharing! For me its "must have" for Syrian coinage collectors, as I am 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robi Posted Sunday at 09:59 PM · Member Author Share Posted Sunday at 09:59 PM On 9/11/2024 at 12:20 AM, Roman Collector said: Interesting iconography, to be sure. The "sphinx" has been interpreted as Astarte. The owl refers to Athena. Here is what Wroth writes in the introduction to BMC Greek volume 20: @Roman Collector thank You for valuable information and screen from Wroth! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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