Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1940)

870 The thunderbolt of Zeus

brandished a spear, not a thunderbolt, and in this guise appears
already on tetradrachms issued by Ptolemy i Soter c. 314 B.C. in
the name of the young prince Alexander iv (figs. 707, 708)1 and
copied by Demetrios Poliorketes2, Agathokles3, and Pyrrhos4. She
was therefore a warlike goddess comparable with the Thessalian

Fig. 707. Fig. 708.

1 McClean Cat. Coins iii. 419 f. pi. 363, 2—10 ('Athene Promachos'), Head Coins of
the Ancients p. 58 pi. 28, 21 (' Pallas Promachos...perhaps a representation of the statue
of Athena Alkis at Pella'), id. Hist, num.2 p. 848 f. fig. 374 (wrongly described as
'Athena Promachos, hurling fulmen'), id. Coins of the Greeks p. 51 pi. 28, 19 ('Athena
fighting...a representation of the statue of Athena Alkis at Pella'), Sir G. F. Hill
Historical Greek Coins London 1906 p. 107 ff. no. 62 pi. 8 ('Athena,..wielding spear
in r.'), C. Seltman Greek Coins London 1933 pp. 223, 240 pi. 58, 2 and 3 ('a fighting
Athena...a thunder-weapon in her upraised right hand'). Figs. 707 and 708 are from
specimens of mine which show clearly that the supposed thunderbolt is meant for
a spear.

2 J. N. Svoronos in the Journ. Intern. d'Arck. Num. 1899 ii. 301 pi. IA', 9 a gold
stater with obv. Nike on prow, rev. an archaistic Athena advancing to left in the
Pr6machos-aX\\t\iAe with Gorgon-shield on left arm and spear in raised right hand.

3 Supra p. 784 n. 7 with fig. 580.

4 Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Thessaly etc. p. 112 pi. 20, 12, Hunter Cat. Coins ii- !3
pi. 31, 18, McClean Cat. Coins ii. 271 pi. 188, 7—10, Head Coins of the Ancients p- 84
pi. 46, 29, id. Coins of the Greeks p. .67 pi. 37, 18, Sir G. F. Hill Coins of Ancient
Sicily London 1903 p. 162 pi. 12, 4, C. Seltman Greek Coins London 1933 p.p. 223>

pi. 60, 12.

During the presence of Pyrrhos in Sicily the Syracusans, by way of compliment to
their gallant ally, struck bronze coins which have for reverse type Athena advancing t0
the right with uplifted spear. But not unfrequently the compliment was intensin*
and the effect heightened by the substitution of a thunderbolt for the spear. See \
Mus. Cat. Coins Sicily p. 206 f. with fig., Hunter Cat. Coins i. 243 f. nos. 216 f. aI1
218 tT., McClean Cat. Coins i. 344 pi. 104, 6, 7 and 8—10, Sir G. F. Hill Coins «/
Ancient Sicily London 1903 p. 163 f. fig. 46.