DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14697#0350
Zeus Phtlios 118 5
the cunningly-worded legend : 'The emperor Nerva Traianus [Augustus] Ger-
manicus Dacicus Zeus Philios? The mind of the reader passes upward from
names of human import through titles recording hard blows struck and magni-
ficent triumphs won to the final claim of supreme beneficent godhead. Moreover,
the whole is thrown into the accusative case with a subtle suggestion of some
verb denoting honour, if not worship1. Adulation of the man has reached its
limit. And, after all, a god who starts as a buried king ends not unfittingly as a
divinised emperor.
Pergamon, in common with other cities of Asia Minor, frankly regarded the
reigning sovereign as lord of heaven and earth, and did not hesitate to portray
him in this capacity as a cosmic Zeus. A
wonderful copper piece from the Pergamene
mint (fig. a87)2 exhibits Commodus in the
form of a youthful Zeus with short hair and
slight beard, naked and erect, a thunderbolt
in his right hand, a sceptre in his left. He
has an eagle with spread wings at his feet,
and is flanked by two recumbent figures—
Gaia on the right with a turreted crown and
a cornii copiae, Thalassa on the left with a
head-dress of crab's-claws and a steering
paddle. In the field are busts of Helios and
Selene. A unique coin, struck at Pergamon
and now in the cabinet of T. Prowe at Moscow „. „_
r lg. Q"7"
(fig. 98s)3, repeats the theme with variations.
Thalassa and Gaia stand side by side, the former with bare breast, crab's-claws
on her head, and a steering paddle in her uplifted hand, the latter with covered
Fig. 988. Fig. 989.
1 G. F. Hill A Handbook of Greek and Roman Coins London 1899 P- G. Mac-
donald Coin Types Glasgow 1905 pp. 161, 170, H. von Fritze loc. cit. p. 78 ff.
2 Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Mysia p. 151 pi. 30, 4 = my fig.987: rev. [ E FT l]CT PAAA I V
A VKHNIAN[OY] TTEPrAMHNn NNEOKOPH N-B (=Art arpar^od M,
At'Xi'ou TXvKwvLavov, Ylepyafirjvuv vewKdpwv (3'). H. von Fritze loc. cit. p.- 56 f. pi. 4, 7
publishes another specimen from the Gotha collection.
3 H. von Fritze loc. cit. p. 56 f. pi. 4, 11: rev. GHICTP AAH NO T 6NOVCB-
N6fl[K0] PflN TTePrAAAHN HN { = iiri OTparqyov Mrjvoyevovs, (3' veuubpwv
Uepyap^vLov).
c. 11. 75
the cunningly-worded legend : 'The emperor Nerva Traianus [Augustus] Ger-
manicus Dacicus Zeus Philios? The mind of the reader passes upward from
names of human import through titles recording hard blows struck and magni-
ficent triumphs won to the final claim of supreme beneficent godhead. Moreover,
the whole is thrown into the accusative case with a subtle suggestion of some
verb denoting honour, if not worship1. Adulation of the man has reached its
limit. And, after all, a god who starts as a buried king ends not unfittingly as a
divinised emperor.
Pergamon, in common with other cities of Asia Minor, frankly regarded the
reigning sovereign as lord of heaven and earth, and did not hesitate to portray
him in this capacity as a cosmic Zeus. A
wonderful copper piece from the Pergamene
mint (fig. a87)2 exhibits Commodus in the
form of a youthful Zeus with short hair and
slight beard, naked and erect, a thunderbolt
in his right hand, a sceptre in his left. He
has an eagle with spread wings at his feet,
and is flanked by two recumbent figures—
Gaia on the right with a turreted crown and
a cornii copiae, Thalassa on the left with a
head-dress of crab's-claws and a steering
paddle. In the field are busts of Helios and
Selene. A unique coin, struck at Pergamon
and now in the cabinet of T. Prowe at Moscow „. „_
r lg. Q"7"
(fig. 98s)3, repeats the theme with variations.
Thalassa and Gaia stand side by side, the former with bare breast, crab's-claws
on her head, and a steering paddle in her uplifted hand, the latter with covered
Fig. 988. Fig. 989.
1 G. F. Hill A Handbook of Greek and Roman Coins London 1899 P- G. Mac-
donald Coin Types Glasgow 1905 pp. 161, 170, H. von Fritze loc. cit. p. 78 ff.
2 Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Mysia p. 151 pi. 30, 4 = my fig.987: rev. [ E FT l]CT PAAA I V
A VKHNIAN[OY] TTEPrAMHNn NNEOKOPH N-B (=Art arpar^od M,
At'Xi'ou TXvKwvLavov, Ylepyafirjvuv vewKdpwv (3'). H. von Fritze loc. cit. p.- 56 f. pi. 4, 7
publishes another specimen from the Gotha collection.
3 H. von Fritze loc. cit. p. 56 f. pi. 4, 11: rev. GHICTP AAH NO T 6NOVCB-
N6fl[K0] PflN TTePrAAAHN HN { = iiri OTparqyov Mrjvoyevovs, (3' veuubpwv
Uepyap^vLov).
c. 11. 75