Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Legend of Aeneas
Mytilene issued a rare series of bronzes honoring important men and women who were either connected with the history of the city or distinguished citizens. The first coin in this series appears to be an issue honoring the historian and politician Theophanes and his wife Archedamis. Theophanes was a friend of Pompey, and it was his influence that won the city its freedom from Pompey in 62 BC (Plutarch, Pompey, 42), hence the reason for the coin issue (RPC 2342). This coin depicts Julia Procula, mother of Flavia Nicomachis, who is also depicted in this series. Wroth assigns a date for this coin to the period of the Antonines, based on similarities in the style of Flavia's portrait to that of Faustina Senior.
873. Ilium. Circa 2nd Century AD. JE 21mm (3.88 gm). Helmeted bust of Athena left / Aeneas walking right carrying Anchises, leading Ascanius by the hand. Bellinger T129; SNG von Aulock 1524; SNG Copenhagen 368. VF, brown and red patina, rough spot on reverse. ($150)
Proconsul C. Asinius Gallus
878. Mytilene. Commodus. 180-192 AD. JE Medallion - 41mm (52.86 gm). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; c / m : lyre within a circle of dots / C o m m o d u s in quadriga left, being led by a soldier; above in field a trophy with captives seated at the base. Kraft pi. 88,14b (same dies); Howgego 422 (for countermark). Obverse die also used to strike issues for Assos and Pergamon (see Kraft pi. 88). Fine, dark brown patina, surfaces a little rough, some smoothing on obverse. Very Rare. ($500) Same obverse die as the next lot.
874. AEOLIS, Temnus. Time of Augustus. JE 16mm (2.97 gm). C. Asinius Gallus, Proconsul. 6-5 BC. Bare head of Asinius right / Wreathed head of Dionysos right. RPC 2447, 21 (this coin); Lindgren & Kovacs A418A (this coin). Fine, black patina, light green earthen encrustation. Rare. ($150)
875. Temnus. Julia Titi, daughter of Titus. JE 16mm (2.18 gm), draped bust right / Athena standing left, holding palladium and seeptre, shield resting on ground. Mionnet III, pg. 28, 168. VF, black patina. ($200)
879. Mytilene. Commodus. 180-192 AD. JE Medallion - 42mm (41.17 gm). Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / Tyche standing right, presenting h e r m of Dionysos to Dionysos, who is standing left holding a thyrsos and kantharos; altar between them. Mionnet ΠΙ pg. 54, 151. Obverse die also used to strike issues for Assos and Pergamon (see Kraft pi. 88). Good VF, dark brown, almost black patina, traces of silver plating, a few small spots of red encrustation, light smoothing. Very Rare. ($2000) Same obverse die as the previous lot.
876. LESBOS, Islands off. Poroselene. Septimius Severus. 193-211 AD. JE 17mm (2.36 gm). Laureate head right / Aesculapius standing facing, head left. BMC Troas, pg. 220, 5. Near VF, greyish-green patina under light earthen encrustation. ($100)
Rare Portrait of Julia Procula
880. IONIA, Ephesus. Salonina, wife of Gallienus. 253-268 AD. JE 27mm (9.07 gm). CAA XPYCOrONH ("Golden Born") CE, diademed and draped bust right on crescent / Artemis, holding bow and reaching for an arrow, standing right before tree; small star at the end of the legend. Nice VF, b r o w n patina. Unpublished in the standard references. ($500)
877. LESBOS, Mytilene. Julia Procula. Circa 150-200 AD. JE 27mm (10.05 gm). Draped bust right / Sappho seated right playing lyre. BMC Troas etc. pg. 200,165. VF, brown patina, old scratches on reverse. Rare. ($750) 101