KOTINOS ~ THE PRIZE OF OLYMPIC EXCELLENCE IN ANCIENT GREECE

The Olympic Games were born in Ancient Greece, at the sacred site of Olympia, in 776 BCE. The Games, created by Heracles in honour of the Father of the Gods, Zeus, were held every four years and attracted great athletes and a lot of spectators. One of the most interesting aspects of the Games was that all these athletes competed and gave their all for one single prize. A kotinos, a wreath made from the branches of a wild olive tree which was near the Temple of Zeus in Olympia. No gold, no silver , no bronze medals. Just a wreath for the best athlete in each sport. And yet, this seemingly 'humble ' wreath was cherished more than any other material prize. 

  As we mentioned before, the kotinos was made from the branches of a wild olive tree called  Elaia Kallistephanos) . Hercules, who first laid out the Olympic track, also planted this sacred olive tree from which the wreaths were made. It is therefore clear that the wreath was not just a prize for athletic success; it was a sacred offering, imbued with cultural and religious significance. Hence , the process of making an olive wreath was a task of precision and reverence. Before the beginning of the Games, the branches of the sacred wild-olive tree were cut by a pais amphithales (Ancient Greek: παῖς ἀμφιθαλής, a boy whose parents were both alive) with a golden sickle. Then he took them to the temple of Hera and placed them on a gold-ivory table. From there, the Hellanodikai (the judges of the Olympic Games) would take them, and carefully weave them into wreathes, ensuring that each one was a perfect circle, symbolizing unity and eternity.

The use of olive tree branches as awards for the most important athletic event of the ancient worlds, reminds us once more of the special place the olive tree held in Hellenic Religion and culture. It is the sacred tree of Goddess Athena, who had gifted it to the city of Athens, winning the favor of its people over Poseidon. The  connection of the olive tree  to the Greek Goddess of Wisdom enhances its significance as a symbol of wisdom, peace, and prosperity.

The climax of the Olympic Games was the award ceremony, where victors were crowned with olive wreaths. This momentous occasion took place within the sanctuary of Zeus, adding a divine dimension to the athletes’ triumph. The ceremony was not just an athletic celebration but a religious and cultural festival, attended by thousands, including dignitaries and priests.

More Than Just a Prize

In the ancient Greek Olympic Games, there was only one winner per sport. Therefore, winning an olive wreath in Olympia was one of the truly highest honors for an ancient athlete. The fact that the kotinos wasn't an 'expensive' prize was unimportant. Its true value was that the victor had earned the glory of victory, the respect of his peers and his home town and most of all, the favour of the Gods.  The Kotinos  was also  a testament to the athlete’s physical prowess, dedication and discipline.

Famous Victors Who Received Olive Wreaths

The victorious athletes were honoured, feted, and praised. Their deeds were heralded and chronicled so that future generations could appreciate their accomplishments. In fact, the names of the Olympic winners formed the chronology basis of the ancient world, as arranged by Timaeus in his work, The Histories. Over the centuries, numerous athletes achieved glory in the Olympic Games and were honored with olive wreaths. Their victories became part of the rich tapestry of Greek history .Athletes like Diagoras of Rhodes, who won twelve crowns in the Olympics, and Milo of Croton, a renowned wrestler, were among those who received this prestigious honor. Their victories, celebrated with olive wreaths, elevated them to a near-mythical status, immortalizing their names in the annals of history.

 

A Symbol of Peace

The kotinos was not only a symbol of athletic victory ,but also of peace. The olive branch has traditionally been associated with peace and reconciliation, and its use in the wreaths at Olympia further emphasized the Olympic Truce, during which conflicts were suspended, and unity was celebrated.

Olive Wreaths in Modern Olympic Symbolism

Just like the Olympic Games themselves, which gloriously returned in the modern era, the tradition of the olive kotinos  has transcended the centuries, finding its place in the modern Olympic Games. While gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded to modern day athletes, the olive wreath still appears in various symbolic forms. It is often seen in logos, emblems, and the ceremonial aspects of the Games, serving as a link to the ancient traditions and a reminder of the Olympic Games’ Greek historical roots. Olive wreaths were the official emblem of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where the athletes also received them  in honor of the ancient tradition.

For the conclusion of this short article about the history of the kotinos, it is worth mentioning an account given to us by Herodotus :  Xerxes was interrogating some Arcadians after the Battle of Thermopylae. He inquired why there were so few Greek men defending the Thermopylae. The answer was "All other men are participating in the Olympic Games". And when asked "What is the prize for the winner?", "An olive-wreath" came the answer. Then Tiritantaechmes, one of his generals uttered: "Good heavens! Mardonius, what kind of men are these against whom you have brought us to fight? Men who do not compete for possessions, but for virtue."'

Edited from : Wikipedia , peloponnesetravel.gr

THE GORGONEION A GREEK APOTROPAIC IMAGE FROM THE DEPTHS OF CENTURIES

 

In Ancient Greece, the Gorgoneion (Greek: Γοργόνειον) was a special apotropaic amulet showing the Gorgon head, which was used by  Athena and Zeus: Both are depicted wearing  the gorgoneion as a protective pendant.  Among other attributes, it was used by Alexander the Great himself and later by rulers of the Hellenistic age as a royal aegis to imply divine birth or protection, as shown, for instance, on the Alexander Mosaic and the Gonzaga Cameo. It is considered to be one of the most powerful protective images. 

Homer refers to the Gorgon on four occasions, each time alluding to the head alone, as if she had no body. The story of Perseus slaying Medusa is well-known, yet the centre of attention has since turned on the immensely apotropaic qualities that her head obtained after the beheading.Prior to the 5th century BCE, Medusa  was depicted as particularly ugly, with a protruding tongue, boar tusks, puffy cheeks, her eyeballs staring fixedly on the viewer and the snakes twisting all around her.

The direct frontal stare, especially expressing violent aggression, was highly unusual in ancient Greek art. (The common depiction of the evil eye on 6th century drinking vessels, and particularly, eye-cups, like Gorgoneia, are assumed apotropaics.) In some instances, what sometimes appears as a beard (probably standing for stylized hair or streaks of blood) was appended to her chin, making her appear as an orgiastic deity akin to Dionysus.

Gorgoneia that decorate the shields of warriors on mid-5th century Greek vases are considerably less grotesque and menacing. By that time, the Gorgon had lost her tusks and the snakes were rather stylized. The Hellenistic marble known as the Medusa Rondanini illustrates the Gorgon's eventual transformation into a beautiful woman.

Gorgoneia appear frequently in Greek art at the turn of the 8th century BCE. One of the earliest representations is on an electrum stater discovered during excavations at Parium. Other early 8th-century examples were found at Tiryns. Going further back into history, there is a similar image from the Knossos palace, datable to the 15th century BCE. Marija Gimbutas even argues that "the Gorgon extends back to at least 6,000 BCE, as a ceramic mask from the Sesklo culture illustrates", and in her book, Language of the Goddess, she also identifies the prototype of the Gorgoneion in Neolithic art motifs, especially in anthropomorphic vases and terracotta masks inlaid with gold.

In the 6th century, gorgoneia of a canonical "lion mask type" were ubiquitous on Greek temples, especially in and around Corinth. Pedimental gorgoneia were common in Sicily; probably the earliest occurrence being in the Temple of Apollo in Syracuse. Around 500 BCE, they ceased to be used for the decoration of monumental buildings, but were still shown on antefixes of smaller structures throughout the next century.

Apart from temples, the Gorgon imagery is present on garments, dishes, weapons, and coins found across the Mediterranean region from Etruria to the Black Sea coast. The Gorgon coins were struck in 37 cities, making her image on coins second in numismatic ubiquity only to several principal Olympian Gods and Goddesses. On mosaic floors, the Gorgoneion usually was depicted next to the threshold, as if guarding it from hostile intruders. On Attic kilns, the gorgoneion over the kiln door protected from mishaps.

SOURCE Wikipedia

THE STAR AND CRESCENT ON ANCIENT GREEK COINS

 

At least four different Greek Goddesses have a strong connection to the Moon: Hecate, Selene, Artemis (Diana), and Aphrodite (Venus). The star and crescent appear as powerful symbols with many meanings, and are often found on ancient coins.

Athens Owl

Athens Tetradrachm - Crescent Owl

Head of Athena to right, wearing crested Attic helmet adorned with three olive leaves and palmette, round earring and pearl necklace. Rev. ΑΘΕ Owl standing right, head facing; behind, olive spray and crescent moon; all within incuse square.

The best-known crescent moon on an ancient coin is a small symbol behind the shoulder of the owl on the reverse of the silver tetradrachm of Athens, a popular trade coin accepted for centuries and widely imitated across the Mediterranean world. The crescent first appears on the coins shortly after Athens’ victory at the Battle of Marathon, fought beneath a waning moon (August or September 490 BCE). The crescent may also recall the crescent formation of the Greek ships at the decisive Battle of Salamis (September 480 BCE).

Tarentum

Tarentum Trihemiobol - Crescent and Star coin

Tarentum, a prosperous Greek city on the heel of the Italian “boot”, issued a tiny silver trihemiobol (0.78 g) c. 450 – 380 BCE showing a distaff (a tool used in spinning thread, symbolic of the local wool industry) between two stars and a crescent. On the more common and even tinier hemiobols of Tarentum (c. 325 – 228 BCE), stars and pairs of crescents, back to back, are the only designs on both sides of the coin.

Uranopolis and Byzantium

The small town of Uranopolis (“sky city”) in Macedon was dedicated to the Goddess Aprhrodite Urania. On its bronze coins (c. 300 BCE), the Goddess appears seated on a celestial globe. The star and crescent are depicted on the reverse, in a pattern that will be repeated on coins for centuries to come: the “horns” of the crescent point upward, and the star is a pellet with six or eight rays.

Uranopolis - Crescent and Star Ancient Coin

The Greek city of Byzantium (which would become Constantinople in 330 CE, and Istanbul after 1453) adopted this symbol on its coinage in the first century BCE. According to legend, in 340 BCE, when Philip of Macedon -father of Alexander the Great- besieged Byzantium, the appearance of a sudden light in the sky warned the defenders in time to prevent a surprise night attack on the walls. In gratitude to the lunar goddess Hecate, the city placed a star and crescent on its local coinage. This custom continued well into the Roman era.

Mithridates VI (135-63 BCE), King of Pontus in Asia Minor, was one of the most determined and resourceful enemies who ever fought the Roman Republic. In the year he was born, a comet appeared in the constellation of Pegasus. A fourth-century historian reported that it “burned so brightly for 70 days that the entire sky seemed to be on fire.”

King of Pontos Mithridates VI Eupator - Crescent Star

In 119 BCE another comet appeared, when 15-year-old Mithridates deposed his mother and seized the throne for himself. The star and crescent was the badge of his dynasty and it appears consistently on his coinage. A large star and crescent surrounded by a wreath forms the reverse of a unique gold stater of c. 93 BCE. On his abundant silver coinage, the star and crescent appears on the reverse as a small symbol beside a stag or Pegasus.

Edited from: https://coinweek.com/

BRONZE COINS OF THE PTOLEMAIC EGYPT

During the reign of the Greek Ptolemaic kings and queens, Egypt produced  substantial coinage. There are numerous designs in all kinds of metals, mint-designations and varieties that make the series both challenging and fascinating.

We’ll start with an 11 mm bronze of the founder of the dynasty, Ptolemy I, who ruled from 323-305/4 BCE as satrap and from 305/4-282 BCE as king. It was struck at the chief mint of Alexandria sometime from c.311 to 306 BCE, shortly before he declared himself king.

Not surprisingly, it features the portrait of his deified predecessor, Alexander III ‘the Great’ (336-323 BCE). It is paired with an eagle on a thunderbolt, a design which served as the ‘dynastic badge’ of the Ptolemies. It’s worth noting that the reverse bears the name of Alexander rather than Ptolemy.

Although stylistically different than the previous coin, this 17 mm bronze issued c.306-294 BCE at the Alexandria mint, most likely was issued after Ptolemy I had assumed the title of king. It has the same principal types of the previous coin, yet the reverse now names Ptolemy rather than Alexander.

This 20 mm bronze of Ptolemy I, struck at Alexandria after c.294 BCE, features a portrait of Alexander III wearing an elephant scalp. The reverse features the badge of Ptolemy.

This lovely 16 mm bronze of Ptolemy I was struck at Paphos on the island of Cyprus. Showing the bust of the goddess Aphrodite and the Ptolemaic eagle-badge, it was struck after c.294 BCE.

Issued at the same time and at the same Cypriot mint as the previous coin, this 22 mm bronze features an entirely different vision of Aphrodite, who’s crowned with an ornamented polos.

We now move on to Ptolemy II (285/4-246 BCE), the son and successor of Ptolemy I. This 23 mm bronze of Ptolemy II, struck at Alexandria sometime after about 265 BCE, looks much like the types introduced by his father some three decades before, as it features a portrait of Alexander III in an elephant scalp and the badge of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Also struck for Ptolemy II is the 40 mm bronze, above, which belongs to a very large series the king initiated in about 265 BCE or soon afterward. It bears what would become the iconic obverse design for Ptolemaic bronzes: the head of the syncretic god Zeus-Ammon, adorned with a diadem and ram’s horn. In this case, he also has at the top of the diadem a design element that is believed to be a stylized crown of Ammon.

The reverse features two Ptolemaic eagles standing on thunderbolts, side by side. Though in some later cases two eagles indicate the joint-rule of two monarchs, at this time, Ptolemy II was the only reigning king, so we must presume they represent both the king and Zeus-Ammon.

Interestingly, this coin also bears another ‘trademark’ feature of most Ptolemaic bronzes struck from this point onward: a central cavity on both the obverse and reverse. Often, there are also strong traces of incised lines radiating outward from the center in a circular fashion. Both are diagnostic of their production rather than circulation damage.

It has been suggested that these new production features are tied to a monetary reform of the 260s BCE in which earlier Ptolemaic bronzes were demonetized. This may have been linked to larger economic reforms that modified the Egyptian tax system.

This 31 mm bronze of Ptolemy II from c.265 BCE or later bears the laureate head of Zeus and the badge of the Ptolemaic dynasty. Unlike the Ptolemaic bronzes we’ve seen thus far, it was not issued in Egypt, but at Ake-Ptolemais in Phoenicia, a prosperous region that in the Hellenistic era was hotly contested between the Ptolemies and their neighbor-kings, the Seleucids.

The two bronzes above, which range from 26 mm to 27 mm in diameter, also were not struck in Egypt. Indeed, they are believed to have been struck in about 264/3 BCE in Sicily on behalf of Ptolemy II. Like the coin from Ake-Ptolemais, they bear the laureate head of Zeus and the Ptolemaic badge.

We continue our survey of Ptolemy II’s bronzes with this 21 mm coin struck in Cyrene, a region of North Africa to the west of Egypt. It was struck c.270-261 BCE by that region’s ruler, Magas. It features the head of Ptolemy I and the thunderbolt of Zeus, above which the name of King Magas appears in the form of a monogram.

Ptolemy II also struck the above piece, a 10 mm bronze depicting his sister-wife Queen Arsinoe II (died 270/68 BCE). With a standing eagle on its reverse, it is attributed to the mint of Byzantium, where the continents of Asia and Europe meet.

We now transition to the issues of King Ptolemy III (246-222 BCE), the son of Ptolemy II and grandson of Ptolemy I. Above are two large and heavy coins of 33 mm to 35 mm from the Alexandria mint with the familiar Zeus-Ammon/Ptolemaic badge designs.

The 30 mm bronze of Ptolemy III, above, has the same types as the previous two coins. However, it was struck at the Phoenician mint of Tyre, as indicated by the club before the eagle.

Another common type of Ptolemy III is illustrated by the two specimens above, which offer a variation of the normal reverse with the eagles looking back toward a cornucopia set at their shoulders. They are from the Alexandria mint and are large pieces ranging from 37 mm to 39 mm in diameter.

An unusual reverse type for the Zeus-Ammon bronzes of Ptolemy III appears on the 16 mm coin, above. It was struck at Paphos on the island of Cyprus and shows a statue of the goddess Aphrodite.

We’ll round out our survey of the bronzes of Ptolemy III with those bearing portraits of living (or once-living) rulers rather than Zeus-Ammon. Shown above is a 12 mm coin that resurrects a type used by his father and grandfather, which pairs the head of Alexander III wearing an elephant scalp with the Ptolemaic badge.

The dynasty founder Ptolemy I is honored on the 22 mm and 26 mm bronzes shown above. The founder’s portrait is paired with the head of Libya, as these coins were struck in neighboring Cyrene, where she was recognized as the personification of the region.

Similarly interesting are the 19 mm and 20 mm bronzes above, which bear the distinctive portrait of Ptolemy III and the Ptolemaic badge. These issues are attributed to the mint of Corinth in Central Greece, where the Ptolemies had military interests.

A decidedly different portrait, also thought to represent Ptolemy III, occurs on this rare 16 mm bronze from the Ionian city of Lebedus, which at this time had been renamed Ptolemais. The reverse depicts the standing figure of Athena.

Our last bronzes of Ptolemy III bear portraits of his wife Berenice II, the daughter of Magas who ruled neighboring Cyrene. She died in 221 BCE, not long after her husband. The first of our three examples, the rare 16 mm bronze above, is attributed to the mint of Lebedus (Ptolemais).

Another portrait of Berenice II appears on this 25 mm bronze struck by her husband at a mint in northern Syria. Its reverse shows a filleted cornucopia and bears an eagle countermark.

The Berenice II portrait bronze above, also issued by Ptolemy III at a mint in northern Syria, has a different reverse type, the iconic Ptolemaic badge.

This article is concluded with  two issues of Ptolemy IV (222-205/4 BCE), the son of Ptolemy III and Berenice II. The first, a coin struck at the Alexandria mint, has the familiar Zeus-Ammon/Ptolemaic badge designs and is a large piece, being more than 40 mm in diameter and tipping the scale at more than 68 grams.

From the same issue is this 33 mm bronze of Ptolemy IV. Though (as noted earlier) the central cavities were part of the manufacturing process of most Ptolemaic bronzes struck after c.265/0 BCE, the ones on this example are especially pronounced.

Edited from : NGC

NOBLE STEEDS ~ THE HORSES OF LARISSA ON ANCIENT GREEK COINS

Horses were possibly the most prized animals in the ancient world. Most were valued for their use as transportation, as beasts of burden, and as cavalry steeds, yet they were also admired for their beauty, charm and their role in athletic events. Since these animals were so highly valued, it is hardly a surprise that they often are depicted on ancient coins. 

One of the finest regions in ancient Greece for horse breeding was Thessaly, a prosperous district with many fertile pastures. Its horses were large and of great endurance, giving rise to a local tradition of equestrian skills. The Thessalian cavalry was admired throughout the Greek world.

The famous horse of  Alexander the Great, named Bucephalus (“ox-head”), was Thessalian. Alexander’s father paid the astonishing sum of 13 talents for this animal, and it served Alexander well during his conquests, which ranged from Greece to Egypt and to the borders of Arabia and India.

Except for the wooden Trojan Horse preserved in the writings of Homer and Virgil, the most famous horse of Greek mythology was Skyphios (Skeironites), considered by the Greeks to be the first horse, born of the sea-god Poseidon and the earth. It is shown on rare bronzes of the Thessalian League struck in about 360 B.C., and on bronzes of the Thessalian city of Orthe struck in the late fourth through the early third centuries BCE.

Both types of bronzes show the forepart of Skyphios emerging from the earth. On the league issue the horse appears over an ornate trident head, representing Poseidon. On the civic issue of Orthe an olive tree grows upon the rocky outcrop from which Skyphios emerges.

Many cities of Thessaly feature horses on their coins, with the foremost being Larissa. Its inhabitants must have been especially proud of their horses, as on almost every silver coin they issued, they portrayed horses with accuracy, care and affection.

The earliest coins of Larissa to show horses are fractional silver coins — obols and half obols, of about 460 BCE. The artistry is stiff, and all that is shown is a bridled horse’s head.

Artistry improves over time

What followed over about the next 60 years was a larger series of silver coins in a broader range of denomination, including drachms and fractional issues ranging from hemidrachms to obols. These horses are shown rearing, bounding, leaping or prancing, and sometimes are mounted by a cavalryman.

In about 400 BCE. the largest series of Larissa drachms began, which lasted until the 330s BCE. The main type shows on its obverse the facing head of the local nymph Larissa, and on the reverse a horse that is grazing or is preparing to roll. These drachms feature some of the most charming images as the artists who cut the dies must have been familiar with horses, and were not reproducing stock images.

When Larissa’s horses are shown grazing their front legs are straight and their necks dip straight toward the ground. Quite different is the depiction of the horses preparing to roll: their knees are not locked, but bent, with one of the front hooves pulled up toward the belly; the neck, dipping toward the ground, is slightly curved.

One particularly beautiful drachm struck at various times from the late 5th through the mid-4th centuries BCE, shows a horse moving briskly with the local hero Thessalos at its side in the background. It is clear that Thessalos is trying to restrain the horse, yet the scene is almost tranquil.

A similarly beautiful composition on drachms of circa 380 to 365 BCE, shows a foal standing beside a mare. The mare is engraved in the typically high relief of these issues, whereas the foal is cut in comparatively low relief, thus placing it in the background. In this case both mother and foal stand in the same direction, calmly, with their heads raised.

Prancing horse

In addition to the grazing and rolling horses, the other common depiction at Larissa is that of a prancing horse. It occurs most often on drachms of circa 420 to 360 BCE. and on didrachms (staters) of the mid-4th century BCE. On these coins the horse has one each of its front and back hooves on the ground, and the other two raised, with the rear hoof being only slightly raised and the front being raised considerably. The horse’s back is straight and its neck fairly upright.

It is difficult to know if this type portrays “show horses,” but to the modern eye it may bring to mind the trained prancing maneuvers of a Lipizzaner stallion. A rare variant of the type struck in the early fourth century BCE. shows a horse in a similar pose, though with its head is turned back.

Horses with riders sometimes are depicted on coins of Larissa. Among the earliest of these are silver trihemiobols of about 480 to 440 BCE. which show a walking horse mounted by a cavalryman holding two lances. 

This scene would have been familiar from coins of nearby Macedonia, where it appeared on issues of the Macedonian kings and on some tribal issues of the region.

On rare occasions drachms from the period circa 380 to 356 BCE. show a horse with a rider. One particularly artful type shows a rider with a cape and a broad hat (a petasus) holding on tightly as his energetic horse leaps from the ground. 

Another type shows a cavalryman outfitted for combat; mounted cavalrymen also appear on bronzes of Larissa struck from the fourth through the second centuries BCE.

Unfortunately for horse lovers, this enchanting series of silver coins ended late in the fourth century BCE. due to the domination of the Macedonian Kingdom under its Kings Philip II (359 to 336 B.C.) and Alexander III.

Source: coinworld