Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 104 15 Dec 2022
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Persia, Achaemenid Empire Æ 13mm. Time of Artaxerxes III to Darios III. Uncertain mint (Ephesos?), circa 350-333 BC. Persian king or hero in kneeling-running stance to right, holding spear and drawing bow; ΔΗ behind, c/m: eight-rayed star within circular incuse / Incuse punch with pattern depicting 'map of the hinterland of Ephesos (?)'. A. Johnston, 'The earliest preserved Greek map: New Ionian coin type', JHS (1967), 1-4 var. (BA on obverse); Traité II 79, pl. LXXXIX, 13 var. (same); Klein 366 var. (same; Memnon of Rhodos?); cf. Meadows, Administration 328 (tetradrachm); BMC Ionia 2 var. (same); CNG e-444, 228 & e-463, 142. 1.96g, 13mm.
Very Fine. Unpublished with this inscription on obverse.
The relief areas of the incuse reverse type found on the reverse of this coin have been interpreted by Johnston (see references) as a relief map depicting the hinterland of Ephesos. If this interpretation is correct, this reverse type remarkably represents the earliest physical relief map known.
The incuse reverse depicts the Tmoulus and Messogis ranges divided by the valley of Caÿster. The rivers Hermus and Maeander are visible above and below the two ranges respectively. The remaining part shows the two tributaries of the Maeander, the Harpasus and Morsynas, dividing the southern mountain block into three ridges.
Very Fine. Unpublished with this inscription on obverse.
The relief areas of the incuse reverse type found on the reverse of this coin have been interpreted by Johnston (see references) as a relief map depicting the hinterland of Ephesos. If this interpretation is correct, this reverse type remarkably represents the earliest physical relief map known.
The incuse reverse depicts the Tmoulus and Messogis ranges divided by the valley of Caÿster. The rivers Hermus and Maeander are visible above and below the two ranges respectively. The remaining part shows the two tributaries of the Maeander, the Harpasus and Morsynas, dividing the southern mountain block into three ridges.