Greek Silver & Bronze Coins

Lot 4619    SESSION 12 (7.00PM FRIDAY 27TH NOVEMBER)    Greek Silver & Bronze Coins

Estimate $200
Bid at live.noble.com.au

SYRIA, Cyrrhestica, Hieropolis, Philip II (247-249 A.D.), AE 30, (19.26 g), obv. laureate bust draped to right, around AVTOK K M IOV**LI, FILIPPO*C CEB, rev. Atergatis seated facing hold a sceptre, riding lion walking right, (S.-, BMC Galatia p.145, 57, SNG Cop. 64, SNG Munich 485). Good very fine, dark patina on a large broad flan, rare.

Ex Spink, London Sale 1311, 2013 (lot 963 part).
Atergatis or Atargatis was a Syrian goddess whose cult centre was at Hieropolis (Hierapolis - Bambyce). She held a similar status to Astarte, being a goddess of fecundity and generation and was also known as Derketo. Her priests, generally eunuchs, spread an ecstatic form of her worship to Greece, where she became associated with the Phrygian mother goddess Cybele and become eventually a forerunner of Tyche.