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  • [ΚΕΝΟ]



[ΚΕΝΟ]
[ΚΕΝΟ]

Cretan wreathed tetradrachms

Ν389, Ν420
Metal (Silver)
Minor chipping on edges
Diameters: 2.8 cm., 3.4 cm.
Gortys, Hierapytna
Hellenistic period:
100-75 BC:
Gallery:
XXI
Case:
212
Exhibition thematic unit:
Cretan Coinage
"Copying foreign patterns"
Description
Two representative examples of Cretan imitations of Attic wreathed tetradrachms. The high popularity and wide dissemination of the latter across the Greek world, and the military needs of the Mithridatic Wars, with Cretan involvement, led seven Cretan cities (Polyrrhenia, Kydonia, Lappa, Knossos, Gortys, Priansos and Hierapytna) to issue tetradrachms of Attic weight copying the images on the originals: the helmeted head of Athena Parthenos on the obverse, and an owl on a fallen amphora, surrounded by a wreath, on the reverse. Of course, the inscription records the ethnonym of each city’s inhabitants rather than the Athenian ΑΘΕ, supplemented by a symbol of the issuing city, while some coins also bear the inscriptions or monograms of archons. 1. Gortys: Obverse: added letter Β. Reverse: inscription ΓΟ-Ρ/ΤΥ-ΝΙ/ΩΝ (Gortynion, “of the Gortynians”), the beginning of the name of the archon ΜΕ/Ν/Α/Ν (Menantidas) and a charging bull, the symbol of the city. 2. Hierapytna: Reverse: Ι-Ε/Ρ-ΑΠ/Υ (Hierapy-, “of the Hierapytnians), the name of the archon Ζ-ΗΝΟ-ΦΙ (Zenophilus) and an eagle standing right, the symbol of the city.
Bibliography:
J. N. Svoronos, Numismatique de la Crète ancienne, Macon 1890, p. 180, no. 184var., XVI,25 and p. 193, no. 42, pl. XVIII,1. G. Le Rider, "Un groupe de monnaies crétoises à types athéniens", Mélanges Julien Cain (Paris, 1968), p. 320, 5, pl. 3, 8 and.... V. Stefanaki - C. Carrier, Le monnaies crétoises du premier tiers du Ier s.av. J.-C.: état de la question et perspectives de recherche, in R. Cantilena - F. Carbone (eds.), Monetary and Social Aspects of Hellenistic Crete, Firenze, 2020, 245-260.
Author:
K. S.


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