Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 124 23 Jun 2021
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Crete, Gortyna.
Half stater circa 280-260, AR 6.80 g. Europa, naked to waist and wearing a peplos over her lower limbs, seated three-quarters r. in plane tree, her head facing, holding out her veil with her l. hand and resting her r. on the tree; on her l., an eagle perched. l. on branch, its head turned back towards her. Rev. ΓOPTY – N[...] Bull standing l., looking backwards. BMC 40, pl. XI, cf. 4. Svoronos 106. Le Rider, pl. XLII, 12.
Extremely rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, undoubtedly among the finest
specimens known. Struck on exceptionally fresh metal and with a lovely light
iridescent tone. Good extremely fine
Ex New York sale XXVII, 2012, Prospero 403.
By the first half of the third century BC, Gortyna had become the second most powerful city on Crete next to neighbouring Knossos and had conquered the city of Phaistos for the use of its harbour. The types of the present coin, struck during the period of Gortynian ascendancy, recount the local version of the myth of Europa, which provided a degree of legitimacy for Gortynian claims of supremacy in Crete, even with respect to Knossos. The reverse type features a bull, the animal form taken by Zeus to abduct Europa from Phoenician Tyre. Carrying her on his back, the bull crossed the sea to Crete where he revealed himself to Europa as the king of the gods and his desire for her. The reverse type symbolically represents this moment of revelation with Europa seated before an eagle-the bird of Zeus. The two are represented in the boughs of a plane tree as it was claimed that Europa and Zeus consummated their relationship beneath just such a tree. Indeed, to this day this famous tree is still exhibited to tourists visiting the site of ancient Gortyna. The union of Zeus and Europa resulted in the birth of three children, Minos, Sarpedon, and Phestos, the mythical kings of Knossos, Malia, and Phaistos, respectively. Thus, in mythical terms, through the conception of these kings in her environs, Gortyna could lord it over Knossos, Malia, and Phaistos as their mother city.
Unfortunately, while the myth of Europa gave Gortyna certain bragging rights in Crete, only a few decades after this coin was struck, the city was plunged into the disastrous Lyttian War (220-216 BC). This conflict, which developed over Knossian attempts to dominate the city of Lyttos, led to a bloody civil war in Gortyna between the older citizens, who favoured alliance with Knossos against Lyttos and the younger citizens who preferred to throw in with the Lyttians against their aggressor. The final result of the conflict is uncertain, but it left a lasting hostility between Gortyna and Knossos. The use of types related to Europa at Gortyna during and after the Lyttian War may perhaps reflect a continued desire by the city to claim a mythological superiority over its rival.
Half stater circa 280-260, AR 6.80 g. Europa, naked to waist and wearing a peplos over her lower limbs, seated three-quarters r. in plane tree, her head facing, holding out her veil with her l. hand and resting her r. on the tree; on her l., an eagle perched. l. on branch, its head turned back towards her. Rev. ΓOPTY – N[...] Bull standing l., looking backwards. BMC 40, pl. XI, cf. 4. Svoronos 106. Le Rider, pl. XLII, 12.
Extremely rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, undoubtedly among the finest
specimens known. Struck on exceptionally fresh metal and with a lovely light
iridescent tone. Good extremely fine
Ex New York sale XXVII, 2012, Prospero 403.
By the first half of the third century BC, Gortyna had become the second most powerful city on Crete next to neighbouring Knossos and had conquered the city of Phaistos for the use of its harbour. The types of the present coin, struck during the period of Gortynian ascendancy, recount the local version of the myth of Europa, which provided a degree of legitimacy for Gortynian claims of supremacy in Crete, even with respect to Knossos. The reverse type features a bull, the animal form taken by Zeus to abduct Europa from Phoenician Tyre. Carrying her on his back, the bull crossed the sea to Crete where he revealed himself to Europa as the king of the gods and his desire for her. The reverse type symbolically represents this moment of revelation with Europa seated before an eagle-the bird of Zeus. The two are represented in the boughs of a plane tree as it was claimed that Europa and Zeus consummated their relationship beneath just such a tree. Indeed, to this day this famous tree is still exhibited to tourists visiting the site of ancient Gortyna. The union of Zeus and Europa resulted in the birth of three children, Minos, Sarpedon, and Phestos, the mythical kings of Knossos, Malia, and Phaistos, respectively. Thus, in mythical terms, through the conception of these kings in her environs, Gortyna could lord it over Knossos, Malia, and Phaistos as their mother city.
Unfortunately, while the myth of Europa gave Gortyna certain bragging rights in Crete, only a few decades after this coin was struck, the city was plunged into the disastrous Lyttian War (220-216 BC). This conflict, which developed over Knossian attempts to dominate the city of Lyttos, led to a bloody civil war in Gortyna between the older citizens, who favoured alliance with Knossos against Lyttos and the younger citizens who preferred to throw in with the Lyttians against their aggressor. The final result of the conflict is uncertain, but it left a lasting hostility between Gortyna and Knossos. The use of types related to Europa at Gortyna during and after the Lyttian War may perhaps reflect a continued desire by the city to claim a mythological superiority over its rival.