of a crab are represented, together with two fish. Dr. Imhoof-Blumer believes the fish not to be a tunny, and that the fabric of the coin differs in some degree from that of the Cyzicene staters. For these reasons, and also because on the corresponding hecta the fish is absent, he thinks the coin belongs to another state than Cyzicus. He suggests that what appears to be the head of a fish held by the crab is a sun-fish. It is quite true that the fabric of this stater and of No. 161, as well as of the corresponding hectæ and twelfths, which have upon them the head or tail of a fish and other like devices, is different from that of the ordinary Cyzicenes. The fish on these archaic coins differs also from the usual representation of the tunny of Cyzicus. The monetary system is, however, the same, and the incuse of the reverse is of essentially the same form as that of the acknowledged coins of Cyzicus, while the fish may well be the tunny, though not executed with the same truth to nature. I have, therefore, included this most peculiar and puzzling class of coins (Nos. 158, 161 to 168) among the electrum series of Cyzicus, though with a little hesitation. 159. Crab. Beneath, tunny right. Hoffmann in 1879, 14.8 grs. [Pl. VI. 22]. I have not been able to trace this coin, of which M. Six has kindly given me a cast, taken from it when in M. Hoffmann's possession. 160. Pecten shell, hinge downwards. Beneath, tunny left. Brit. Mus., 21.1 grs. [Pl. VI. 23]. Engr. Sestini, Stat. Ant., Pl. VI. 20. Noted. Num. Vet., R. P. K., p. 150. 161. Two fish to left, with a dot between their tails. Beneath, two crab claws. Imhoof, 249.5 grs. [Pl. VI. 24]. Berlin, 249.8. Engr. Rev. de la Numis. Belge, vol. v., p. Pl. VII. 1. p. 248, 162. Tunny to left, above head of fish, with spike projecting from it behind, to right. right. Beneath, tail of fish to Imhoof, 41.8 grs. [Pl. VI 25]. Lambros, 28.1 (plated). 163. Head of fish with spike, to left, behind a trifid fleur-delys-shaped object (a flower ?). right. Imhoof, 250 grs. [Pl. VI. 26]. Above, tunny Hecta. Brit. Mus., 41.5 grs. [Pl. VI. 27]. Leake, 41.3. The hecta has no trifid object, but only the spike, with a dot above it. 164. Head of fish, with spike, to right. Above, tunny to right, over whose tail is a trifid flower (?) upright. Paris, 42 grs. [Pl. VI. 28]. 165. Head of fish, with spike, to right. Beneath, tunny right. Paris, 20-8 grs. [Pl. VI. 29]. W. G., 20.6. Diff. dies. 166. Head of fish, with spike, to right. Above it tunny (?). Beneath, tunny left. Paris, 21-6 grs. [Pl. VI. 30]. 167. Head of fish, with spike, to left. Beneath, tail of fish to left. Paris, 418 grs. [Pl. VI. 31]. 168. Two fish-heads, each with spike, to left, one above the other. Behind them tunny upwards. In field to right two dots; and in field to left one dot. Hirsch, 41.7 grs. [Pl. VI. 32]. Twelfth. Brit. Mus., 14.3 grs. [Pl. VI. 33]. Noted. Num. Vet., R. P. K., p. 150. The twelfth is of very pale electrum, and has two dots, one above and the other beneath the fish-heads. 169. Pistrix to right. Beneath, tunny right. W. G., 248-2 grs. [Pl. VI. 34]. A type probably connected with Poseidon, if it is anything more than a copy of a portion of another coin. The pistrix is found in the exergue, beneath the chariot, upon a large series of the earlier tetradrachms, &c., of Syracuse. Mr. Head has suggested, with much probability, that it was placed there to commemorate the naval victory gained by Hieron over the Etruscans near Cuma, B.c. 474. Upon a vase where Poseidon is represented as crushing Ephialtes with a rock, among other creatures of the sea, is a pistrix.47 170. Prow of a ship to left, from which issues the forepart of a winged wolf. Beneath, tunny left. Paris (De L.), 248 grs. [Pl. VI. 35]. Imhoof, 249-2. Engr. Rev. Num., N.S., vol. i., Pl. II. 6. Mon. Ined. The expedition of the Argonauts plays an important part in the mythical history of Cyzicus, and the prow 47 Lenormant and De Witte, Élite des Mon. Céram, vol. i., Pl. V. represented on the stater is probably that of the ship Argo. The ordinary type on the coinage of Cius in Bithynia is a prow, and that place is also connected with the Argonautic myth. 171. Crested Corinthian helmet to left. Beneath, tunny left. Imhoof, 248 6 grs. [Pl. VI. 36]. Noted. Imhoof-Blumer, Monn. Grecq., p. 242. No. 72. Though the helmet is of Corinthian, and not Athenian form, it may possibly be in connection with Pallas that it is placed on the stater. 172. Lyre. Beneath, tunny right. Paris (De L.) (a), 246.1 grs. [Pl. VI. 37]. Paris, 245.8. Engr. Mionnet, Suppl. v., Pl. III. 1. Noted. Brandis, p. 409. Twelfth. Paris, 19.5 grs. Noted. Brandis, p. 409. A type connected with Apollo makes a fitting termination to the long and varied series of the electrum coins of Cyzicus. W. GREENWELL. II. THE INSCRIPTION 209VM2T (TIEYPOI) ON COINS OF GORTYNA. AMONG Cretan coins few are more interesting than the following didrachmon of Gortyna : Obr.-Europa wearing chiton and peplos, seated 1. in tree; her r. hand supports her head; her 1. rests on tree. Around the figure is the inscription. 209VM2T, which is partly in the field of the coin, and partly confined to the tree.1 Rer. Bull standing r. looking back. This coin, on account of its inscription, has excited the curiosity of many Numismatists. In 1820, Sestini 2 first published an account of three specimens of the same coin, that is, of two in the Munich public collection and one in the Hedervar private collection; but he gave the following very fanciful description of them : 1, 2. Mulier moesta a. s. capiti Minotauri (!) insidens, superne ONYM et in cornu dextero Minotauri legitur TAYPOS (!!) id est MYNOTAYPOS (!) 1 Brit. Mus., Wroth, Catalogue of Cretan Coins, p. 39, No. 20, Pl. X. 4. 2 Descrizione di molte medaglie greche esistenti in piu musee, pp. 96, 97, Tab. XIII., fig. 8; and, Descrizione del museo Hedervariano, I., p. 154. 1830. |