Heraklion Archaeological Museum - CollectiveAccess System : Coins : Gods on Cretan coins [ΑΚΕ174, Ν79, Ν103, Ν1085]

Gods on Cretan coins

ΑΚΕ174, Ν79, Ν103, Ν1085

Metal (Silver)

Use-wear on surfaces

Diameters: 2 cm., 2.4 cm., 2.4 cm., 2.1 cm.

Unknown provenance

Late Classical and Hellenistic period:

350 BC to 2nd c. BC:

Gallery:

XXI

Case:

212

Exhibition thematic unit:

Cretan Coinage

Gods, heroes and daemons on Cretan coinage

Description

The images on Cretan coins drawn from local theology, as opposed to the widespread Panhellenic myths, are carefully chosen with political goals in mind. They are even standardised to a certain extent in each city, as is the custom down the ages. They present a rich variety of patron gods or their aniconic symbols (the thunderbolt, the trident, the caduceus, etc.); animals or, more rarely, plants associated with the local legends; and cult utensils used in religious ceremonies (the tripod, the torch, etc.), providing valuable information that supplements the written sources and the archaeological finds, or may even be otherwise unattested. 1. Axos (drachm, 350-325 BC. Obverse: wreathed head of Apollo. Reverse: tripod, uninscribed. 2. Rhaukos (stater, 320-330 BC). Obverse: Poseidon Hippios. Reverse: trident. Inscription [ΡΑΥ]ΚΙΟΝ (Rhaukion, “of the Rhaukians”). 3. Praisos (stater, 320-280 BC). Obverse: Zeus enthroned, holding sceptre and eagle. Reverse: head of kneeling wild goat. Uninscribed. 4. Itanos (drachm, 2nd c. BC). Obverse: helmeted head of Athena. Reverse: eagle with Triton as supplementary motif.

Bibliography:

J. Svoronos, Numismatique de la Crète ancienne, Mâcon 1890, pp. 37,5 pl. ΙΙ, 32-33 and p. 205, 36, pl. ΧΙΧ,18 and p. 289,25 pl. XVII, 25-26 and p. 305,9 pl. ΧΧΙΧ,14. LeRider, Monnaies Crétoises du Ve au Ier siècle av. J-C, Paris 1966, pp. 196-197. Κ. Sidiropoulos, Αργύριον αξικόν: νομισματικές εκδόσεις και θησαυροί, in: E. Gavrilaki- G.Ζ. Tzifopoulos, Ο Μυλοπόταμος από την αρχαιότητα ως σήμερα, Περιβάλλον-Αρχαιολογία-Ιστορία-Λαογραφία- Κοινωνιολογία, vol IV: Ελεύθερνα - Αξός, (Πάνορμο 24-30 Οκτωβρίου 2003) (Rethymno 2006), pp. 148-149, fig. 2. B. Traeger, Itanos - Europas maritimes Sprungbrett der Antike nach Afrika, Numismatisches Nachrichtenblatt 2/1999, p. 61, C 38. G. Tasoulas, Μυθολογικές παραστάσεις στα Κρητικά Νομίσματα των Κλασικών και Ελληνιστικών Χρόνων, Rethymno 1994 (unpublished MA diss.), Department of History and Archaeology, University of Crete.

Author:

K. S.

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