Nomos AG
obolos 25 23 Oct 2022
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CYPRUS. Koinon of Cyprus. Trajan, 98-117. Dupondius (Orichalcum, 25.5 mm, 14.95 g, 6 h). ΑΥΤΟΚΡ ΚΑΙC ΝΕΡ ΤΡΑΙΑΝΩ ΑΡΙCΤΩ CΕΒ ΓΕΡΜ ΔΑΚ Radiate and draped bust of Trajan to right. Rev. ΔΗΜΑΡΧ ΕΞ ΥΠΑΤΟ ς ΚΟΙΝΟΝ ΚΥΠΡΙΩΝ Conical xoanon within the temple of Aphrodite at Paphos with courtyard. BMC 36-7. Parks 20a. RPC III 3410. Well centered with brown patina. A few light scratches in the obverse field, otherwise, very fine.
From a Swiss collection.
The Roman historian Tacitus describes the temple of Aphrodite of Paphos as Simulacrum deae non effigie humana, continuus orbis latiore initio tenuem in ambitum metae modo exerguens, set ratio in obscuro. This is basically what we can see depicted at the centre of our coin. On top of that, it was minted during the reign of emperor Trajan, while Tacitus was working on the Histories, his book dedicated to the year of the four emperors, from which the quote above has been taken (Tac. Hist. II.3). Numismatics and historiography can hardly get any closer than that.
From a Swiss collection.
The Roman historian Tacitus describes the temple of Aphrodite of Paphos as Simulacrum deae non effigie humana, continuus orbis latiore initio tenuem in ambitum metae modo exerguens, set ratio in obscuro. This is basically what we can see depicted at the centre of our coin. On top of that, it was minted during the reign of emperor Trajan, while Tacitus was working on the Histories, his book dedicated to the year of the four emperors, from which the quote above has been taken (Tac. Hist. II.3). Numismatics and historiography can hardly get any closer than that.