A new dated coin of Tarkondimotos II from Anazarbos. more

Anatolian Studies 59 (2009): 73−75 A new dated coin of Tarkondimotos II from Anazarbos Nicholas L. Wright Macquarie University Abstract This short note is intended to supplement the paper ‘Anazarbos and the Tarkondimotid kings of Kilikia’ published in Anatolian Studies 58 (2008). It presents a new dated variety of a quasi-municipal bronze coin from Anazarbos minted in 19 BC − during the reign of Tarkondimotos II − and places this within the chronological framework established in the earlier publication. Özet Bu kısa not şeklindeki çalışma daha önce Anatolian Studies 58 (2008) de yayınlanmış olan ‘Anazarbos and the Tarkondimotid kings of Kilikia’ adlı çalışmayı bütünlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. MÖ 19 yılında Anazarbos’da, Tarkondimotos II döneminde basılmış bronz bir sikkeyi tanıtmakta ve daha önceki makalede yer alan kronoloji içine yerleştirmektedir. F ollowing the recent publication of the Hellenistic coinage produced by the Tarkondimotid dynasty at Anazarbos (Wright 2008), a hitherto unknown variety has come to light which lends support to the earlier argument. The coin in question has been in the possession of the author since late in 2008. Æ 20; 8.65g; axis: Obv: laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border. Rev: [AN]AZARBE[ N]; Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in right hand, resting left hand on sceptre; left field, ; below throne, date AN. The type mirrors a previously known quasimunicipal issue of Anazarbos (Wright 2008: Anazarbos type IIb) in every respect with the addition of the date AN − year 51 − below the throne. The same date was employed on Anazarbos type IIIb, a hemichalkon which also carried the same monogram. As discussed in the previous paper, the date used on the quasi-municipal issues of Anazarbos most likely relates to an era system based on the assumption of power of the dynastic founder, Tarkondimotos I, in ca 70 BC. Year 51 may thus equate to 19 BC. The dynast alluded to on the new quasi-municipal issue through the monogram , Tarkondimotos II, had succeeded his brother as toparch of Upper Kilikia around 28/27 BC and was raised to king of the restored monarchy by Augustus in 20 BC (Cassius Dio, Roman History: 54.9). That the privilege to mint royal coinage was withheld is evidenced by the abbreviated form of the monarch’s name and lack of royal title. In the following year Anazarbos was refounded as Caesarea by the grateful Kilikian king (Suetonius, Life of Augustus: 60; Jones 1937: 204−05; the name Caesarea is used on later Roman provincial issues from the city, see RPC: 4259−61), a process involving increased building activity which was fuelled by an increase of state expenditure and a subsequent intensification of coinage output by the mint. This intensification can be illustrated by the increase in dies used to produce the coinage in this period. Anazarbos type IIb, which shares the monogram with both the new coin and the dated issue IIIb, utilised 11 reverse dies compared to only eight for type IIc and less than four for each of the other issues (Zeigler 1993: 217−20). The new coin confirms the association between Anazarbos types IIb and IIIb, and further increases the volume of coinage being produced at the time of 73 Anatolian Studies 2009 Anazarbos’ refoundation. It is likely that the dated issue bearing preceded its undated counterparts. Therefore, while the new coin and Anazarbos IIIb can be fairly confidently allocated to 19 BC, the undated production of Anazarbos type IIb may represent successive issues later in the same year or perhaps shortly afterwards at a point when the name Caesarea had yet to find common usage and before the resumption of regal coinage under Philopator II. A summary showing the new coin (no. 7) within the context of the previously published issues in their established chronological order is listed below. All coins fall within two denominations, nominally termed chalkoi (20−25 mm) and hemichalkoi (17−19 mm). The axes are almost exclusively vertical (between 11 and 1 o’clock), suggesting the use of fixed dies. − Tarkondimotos I Philantonios (ca 70−31 BC) regal coinage 1. 39−31 BC − Tarkondimotos type I Æ chalkos. Obv: diademed head of Tarkondimotos I right. Rev: BASILE S TARKONDIMO−TON; in exergue FILANT NIOU; Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in right hand, resting left hand on sceptre. 2. 39−31 BC − Tarkondimotos type II Æ chalkos. Obv: diademed head of Tarkondimotos I right. Rev: BASILE S ONDIMO−TON; in exergue FILANT NIOU; Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in right hand, resting left hand on sceptre. Philopator I (30−ca 28/27 BC) quasi-municipal coinage 3. 30−ca 28/27 BC − Anazarbos type I Æ chalkos. Obv: laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border. Rev: ANAZARBE N; Tyche standing left, holding ears of grain in right hand, cornucopia in left arm; wreath border; left field, . 4. 30−ca 28/27 BC − Anazarbos type IIIa Æ hemichalkos. Obv: helmeted bust of Athena right. Rev: ANAZARBE N; plough; left field, . − Tarkondimotos II (ca 28/27−after 19 BC) quasimunicipal coinage 5. ca 28/27−20 BC − Anazarbos type IIa Æ chalkos. Obv: laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border. Rev: ANAZARBE N; Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in right hand, resting left hand on sceptre; left field, . 6. ca 28/27−20 BC − Anazarbos type IIc Æ chalkos. Obv: laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border. Rev: ANAZARBE N; Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in right hand, resting left hand on sceptre; left field, . 7. 19 BC − Anazarbos type IIb (dated variant) Æ chalkos. Obv: laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border. Rev: ANAZARBE N; Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in right hand, resting left hand on sceptre; left field, ; below throne, date AN (Tarkondimotid era 51 = 19 BC). 8. 19 BC − Anazarbos type IIIb Æ hemichalkos. Obv: helmeted bust of Athena right. Rev: ANAZARBE N; plough; left field, ; lower left, date AN (Tarkondimotid era 51 = 19 BC). 9. 19 BC or shortly after(?) − Anazarbos type IIb Æ chalkos. Obv: laureate head of Zeus right; dotted border. Rev: ANAZARBE N; Zeus Nikephoros seated left on throne, holding Nike in right hand, resting left hand on sceptre; left field, . − [Tarkondimotos III] Philopator II (after 19 BC−AD 17) regal coinage 10. AD 14 − Philopator type I Æ chalkos. Obv: veiled, turreted head of Tyche right; dotted border. Rev: BA%ILE % FILOPAT−ORO%; Athena Nikephoros standing left, holding Nike in right hand, spear in left arm, shield resting on left leg; inner right field, ; left field, date DL (Restoration era 34 = AD 14) in the outer left field. 11. ca AD 15−17 − Philopator type II Æ chalkos. Obv: veiled, turreted head of Tyche right; dotted border. Rev: BA%ILE % FILOPAT−ORO%; Athena Nikephoros standing left, holding Nike in right hand, spear in left arm, shield resting on left leg; inner right field, ; no date. 74 Wright Acknowledgements I am grateful to the Australian Centre of Ancient Numismatic Studies (ACANS) for the use of its library and to Laura Wright for reading drafts of this paper. All errors remain my own. Bibliography Burnett, A., Amandry, M., Ripollès, P.P. 1992: Roman Provincial Coinage Volume 1: From the Death of Caesar to the Death of Vitellius (44 BC − AD 69) (= RPC). London Jones, A.H.M. 1937: The Cities of the Eastern Roman Provinces. Oxford Wright, N.L. 2008: ‘Anazarbos and the Tarkondimotid kings of Kilikia’ Anatolian Studies 58: 115−25 Ziegler, R. 1993: Kaiser, Heer und Städtisches Geld: Untersuchungen zur münzprägung von Anazarbos und anderer Ostkilikischer Städte. Vienna Fig. 1. Dated variant of Anazarbos IIb 12. ca AD 15−17 − Philopator type III Æ chalkos. Obv: veiled, turreted head of Tyche right; dotted border. Rev: BA%ILE % FILOPAT−ORO%; Athena Nikephoros standing left, holding Nike in right hand, spear in left arm, shield resting on left leg; no monogram or date. 75