DOI Artikel:
Jellonek, Szymon: Roman foundation myths on colonial coinage
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49247#0112
SZYMON JELLONEK
108
struck in Philippi during the Second Triumvirate (RPC I 1646); it may also be the
case that they were struck during the ages of Augustus, Tiberius, and Claudius, but
the provenance of these coinages remains problematic.45 During the 2nd century, it
was mostly coinages depicting Julius Caesar and Augustus that were struck, while
the last ones that were produced during the age of Gallienus showed Fortune.46 With
regards to Cremna, as has already been mentioned, the foundation type appeared
on coinages to commemorate anniversaries during the age of Marcus Aurelius
and Aurelian, but it also appeared during the ages of Hadrian, Septimius Severus,
Philip the Arab, and Valerian.47 The tradition of alluding to a city’s foundation was
supported by other motifs characteristic of Roman colonies, motifs like Marsyas
(RPC III 2808), legionary emblems (RPC III 2806), or the genius of the colony (RPC
III 2807). Moreover, as was the case in Antioch, reference was made directly to
Rome through depictions of the she-wolf (RPC IX 971). Aspects of Roman culture,
however, did not stop the local elite from simultaneously referring to local figures
like Mida (the mother of King Midas) (RPC IV (online temporary numbers) 7794)
or Apollo Propylaeus (RPC VI 5925).
With regard to Berytus, it has already been noted that the foundation type
was replaced at a certain moment as the heaviest denomination by new types with
the temple of Astarte (RPC III 3845) (Pl. I, Fig. 7) and with Poseidon (RPC III
3847). However, it was still minted in the age of Caracalla (Lindgren 2266) as the
smallest coin. It was then supplanted by local motifs like Poseidon with Beroe
(BMC 183) (Pl. 2, Fig. 8), Eshmun (BMC 202), or the Julian myth, that of Aeneas
carrying Anchises.48 On the basis of the two examples mentioned above, despite
the strong Roman element that was present, one can see increasing integration with
the local tradition.
On the other hand, there were colonies whose Romanitas was significantly
weaker, and this is reflected in the coinage. These include the cities that did not at all
produce foundation coinage (among others, Corinth, about which more will be said
later) and those in which there were only a few such issues (these include Parium,
Sinope, Alexandria Troas, Ninica, and Iconium). The amount and frequency of
these issues varied greatly. In Sinope, the issues depicting founder with oxen were
minted under Caligula (RPC I 2129) and probably under Domitian (RPC II 725).
This motif appeared twice on coinage from Lystra: during the age of Augustus
(RPC I 3539) (Pl. 2, Fig. 9) and during that of Marcus Aurelius (RPC IV (online
45 GRANT 1946: 111-114; BURNETT, AMANDRYand RIPOLLES 1992:309-310; PAPAGEORG1ADOU-
-BANI 2004: 29.
46 PAPAGEORGIADOU-BANI 2004: 42, 47.
47 FILGES 2105: 81-82.
4S JONES-HALL 2004: 120, 135.
108
struck in Philippi during the Second Triumvirate (RPC I 1646); it may also be the
case that they were struck during the ages of Augustus, Tiberius, and Claudius, but
the provenance of these coinages remains problematic.45 During the 2nd century, it
was mostly coinages depicting Julius Caesar and Augustus that were struck, while
the last ones that were produced during the age of Gallienus showed Fortune.46 With
regards to Cremna, as has already been mentioned, the foundation type appeared
on coinages to commemorate anniversaries during the age of Marcus Aurelius
and Aurelian, but it also appeared during the ages of Hadrian, Septimius Severus,
Philip the Arab, and Valerian.47 The tradition of alluding to a city’s foundation was
supported by other motifs characteristic of Roman colonies, motifs like Marsyas
(RPC III 2808), legionary emblems (RPC III 2806), or the genius of the colony (RPC
III 2807). Moreover, as was the case in Antioch, reference was made directly to
Rome through depictions of the she-wolf (RPC IX 971). Aspects of Roman culture,
however, did not stop the local elite from simultaneously referring to local figures
like Mida (the mother of King Midas) (RPC IV (online temporary numbers) 7794)
or Apollo Propylaeus (RPC VI 5925).
With regard to Berytus, it has already been noted that the foundation type
was replaced at a certain moment as the heaviest denomination by new types with
the temple of Astarte (RPC III 3845) (Pl. I, Fig. 7) and with Poseidon (RPC III
3847). However, it was still minted in the age of Caracalla (Lindgren 2266) as the
smallest coin. It was then supplanted by local motifs like Poseidon with Beroe
(BMC 183) (Pl. 2, Fig. 8), Eshmun (BMC 202), or the Julian myth, that of Aeneas
carrying Anchises.48 On the basis of the two examples mentioned above, despite
the strong Roman element that was present, one can see increasing integration with
the local tradition.
On the other hand, there were colonies whose Romanitas was significantly
weaker, and this is reflected in the coinage. These include the cities that did not at all
produce foundation coinage (among others, Corinth, about which more will be said
later) and those in which there were only a few such issues (these include Parium,
Sinope, Alexandria Troas, Ninica, and Iconium). The amount and frequency of
these issues varied greatly. In Sinope, the issues depicting founder with oxen were
minted under Caligula (RPC I 2129) and probably under Domitian (RPC II 725).
This motif appeared twice on coinage from Lystra: during the age of Augustus
(RPC I 3539) (Pl. 2, Fig. 9) and during that of Marcus Aurelius (RPC IV (online
45 GRANT 1946: 111-114; BURNETT, AMANDRYand RIPOLLES 1992:309-310; PAPAGEORG1ADOU-
-BANI 2004: 29.
46 PAPAGEORGIADOU-BANI 2004: 42, 47.
47 FILGES 2105: 81-82.
4S JONES-HALL 2004: 120, 135.