Tag Archive for: Antiquity

Unique coin of British king who fled to Germany

On 2 June 2013 a silver unit of a previously unrecorded type was found in east Kent, former land of the Cantiaci. It was struck by Amminus, a Cantian king who ruled in Kent around AD 30-40, shortly before the Claudian invasion in AD 43, which he may have encouraged.

Sicilian Mosaic Part 10: Rescue by the Mother City of Corinth

After the murder of Dion, the ruler of Syracuse, his followers looked for help in Corinth, where the founding settlers of Syracuse had come from many centuries ago. And Timoleon in fact succeeded in stabilizing the Syracusan region.

Helios, the Colossus of Rhodes – and the Rhodian tetradrachms

Ten Rhodians, ten ships, says an ancient proverb. It tells of the source of the riches of this island, which had one of the most important harbors of the ancient world. It was protected by the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of Helios, who is also depicted on Rhodian coins.

The First Marcomannic War of Marcus Aurelius

In the middle of the 2nd century AD the tribe of the Goths left its native homeland. The tribesmen moved southwards and expelled other people from their homes who in their turn tried to find new land further south. One of these tribes were the Marcomanni.

Big price for an emergency coin

The city of Syracuse issued a marvelous gold coin during its war against the Carthaginians. A perfect specimen of this emission sold for 66.700 Euro during the last auction sale of Gorny & Mosch…

The Son of Divine Caesar

Two rare aurei of the Gorny & Mosch sale from Augustus’ early years obtained impressive prices. Yet as intriguing as the two coins is the history of the man who minted them: Octavian better known as Augustus.

Ancient Sybrita: the mint where the most beautiful of Crete’s coins were made

The ancient community of Sybrita in Crete stills remains something of a terra incognita. That is even the more surprising given the fact that gorgeous silver coins had been produced there in Hellenistic times that celebrate Dionysos, the god of the wine.

Sicilian Mosaic Part 11: The classical coinage of Syracuse

Syracusan coins are among the most beautiful strikings of antiquity. Have a look at a few examples in the following.

Maxentius, fighter for Rome

The year 307 was one of the most eventful in the history of the tetrarchy. A golden medallion, offered by Hess-Divo at auction 334, refers to this history. On it, Maxentius is being celebrated as defender of Rome.

Dionysos – A God of the Greek Religion of Experiences

Most of us react uncomprehendingly while reading the Greek myths. We can’t imagine that once rational human beings were able to believe in gods who behaved like characters invented for a soap opera on TV. Legends tell us about adultery, violation, theft, intrigue and fraud.