Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XX 29-30 Oct 2020
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Mysia, Kyzikos EL Stater. Circa 550-500 BC. Head of Athena left, wearing crested Attic helmet, base of crest decorated with zig-zag and pellet pattern; tunny fish to left below / Quadripartite incuse square. Von Fritze 67, pl. I 20; Greenwell 25; SNG France -; SNG von Aulock -; Boston MFA 1446; Dewing -; Gillet 1053 = Kunstfreund 3 = Jameson 2171 = Weber 4971; Gulbenkian 609 (all from the same obv. die). 16.09g, 20mm.
Extremely Fine; preserved in exceptional quality for the issue. Very Rare.
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XV, 5 April 2018, lot 216;
Ex A.F. Collection, Germany.
A lack of ancient sources has left the early history of Kyzikos largely unexplained; it is most likely that it was founded by Miletos in the seventh century BC, although a mythological alternative has survived which suggests that the city was named after an early king, Kyzikos, who was accidentally killed by the Argonauts on their journey to Kolchis (Apollonius of Rhodes 1.949). After 547 BC, Kyzikos came under Persian domination following the defeat of Kroisos, the king of Lydia who ruled the Greek cities of Asia Minor. Later in the fifth century the writer Herodotus includes Aristagoras of Kyzikos as one of the tyrants high in favour with Darius I in circa 514/3 BC (The Histories, 4.138.1). Kyzikos rebelled against Persian rule and is recorded as a member of the Delian League in c. 478 BC, evidenced by inscriptions detailing its tribute to the League (IG I³ 265.1.95 dated to 447/6 BC informs us Kyzikos paid a phoros of 4, 320 drachms).
Worship of Athena in Kyzikos is attested in the Palatine Anthology which states that Kyzikos had "the first sanctuary in Asia" to Athena (6.342.5-6). Although little more is said regarding any strong connections between the city and this goddess, her appearance on this coin clearly highlights her presence in the religious life of the city. Here the goddess is represented in the formulaic archaic portrait style for which Kyzikos is so well-known. Brett (in the Catalogue of Greek Coins, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 1955) marks the similarity between the zigzag pattern on the base of the helmet's crest on this coin type with that of sixth century Athenian coins (see plates 2-4 in Svoronos, Corpus of the Ancient Coins of Athens). It is therefore possible that the depiction of Athena on this issue was directly influenced by her appearance on Athenian coins circulating in the sixth century.
Extremely Fine; preserved in exceptional quality for the issue. Very Rare.
From the Long Valley River Collection;
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction XV, 5 April 2018, lot 216;
Ex A.F. Collection, Germany.
A lack of ancient sources has left the early history of Kyzikos largely unexplained; it is most likely that it was founded by Miletos in the seventh century BC, although a mythological alternative has survived which suggests that the city was named after an early king, Kyzikos, who was accidentally killed by the Argonauts on their journey to Kolchis (Apollonius of Rhodes 1.949). After 547 BC, Kyzikos came under Persian domination following the defeat of Kroisos, the king of Lydia who ruled the Greek cities of Asia Minor. Later in the fifth century the writer Herodotus includes Aristagoras of Kyzikos as one of the tyrants high in favour with Darius I in circa 514/3 BC (The Histories, 4.138.1). Kyzikos rebelled against Persian rule and is recorded as a member of the Delian League in c. 478 BC, evidenced by inscriptions detailing its tribute to the League (IG I³ 265.1.95 dated to 447/6 BC informs us Kyzikos paid a phoros of 4, 320 drachms).
Worship of Athena in Kyzikos is attested in the Palatine Anthology which states that Kyzikos had "the first sanctuary in Asia" to Athena (6.342.5-6). Although little more is said regarding any strong connections between the city and this goddess, her appearance on this coin clearly highlights her presence in the religious life of the city. Here the goddess is represented in the formulaic archaic portrait style for which Kyzikos is so well-known. Brett (in the Catalogue of Greek Coins, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 1955) marks the similarity between the zigzag pattern on the base of the helmet's crest on this coin type with that of sixth century Athenian coins (see plates 2-4 in Svoronos, Corpus of the Ancient Coins of Athens). It is therefore possible that the depiction of Athena on this issue was directly influenced by her appearance on Athenian coins circulating in the sixth century.