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THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
BY
OSCAR RAVEL
Tue AMERICAN NuMisMatTic SOCIETY
BroaDway AT 156TH STREET
New York
1928
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eee COTS” OF AMBRACIA
BY
OSCAR RAVEL
Tue AMERICAN NuMISMATIC SOCIETY
Broapway AT 156TH STREET
New York
1928
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toe COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
By Oscar E. RAVEL
The Thesprotian town of Ambracia in Epirus
(AuBpakia) was situated where the town of Arta
now stands. Its territory extended all round the
northern and western side of the Gulf of Ambracia
(now Gulf of Arta). On the southeast, it was
bounded by the territory of the Amphilochians
and on the west by the Laguna Tsukalia, or proba-
bly the small river Oropos (Luro). Inland, we do
not know how far it extended.!
The city itself was situated at the mouth of
the river Arachthos ("ApadVos), and at the head
of a gulf eighty stadia from the sea.2,- Above the
town of which some ancient walls still exist,
stands a rocky hill—the Acropolis, and from its
height the plain could be dominated and one had
an extensive view over the sea.
The harbor was provided with dikes and dams
(kXetoTos Ayunv) and was probably situated at the
mouth of the river,’ which vessels could navigate
as far as the town.!
The mythical founder of Ambracia was Ambrax,
son of Thesprotos,> but according to Dionysios
of Halikarnassos, the eponymous founder was the
son of Dexamenos, son of Heracles.®
I
2 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
The town was colonized by Corinth about 630
B.C. Strabo says Gorgos, son of Kypselos, was
the leader of the Corinthian expedition and be-
came the first tyrant of Ambracia. His son,
Periander II, succeeded him but was soon de-
posed by the citizens who then instituted a
democratic form of government.’
By some authors, the historical founder of
Ambracia is called Torgos, Gorgias or Gorgos,®
but as his name is inscribed in full on a beautiful
coin (pl. XI, 127), we may be sure that it was
really Gorgos (OPTO2).?®
Owing to her very favorable situation, Ambracia
was the natural port for Epirus and the interior,
and the medium for commerce with Italy and
Sicily. Practically all the trade of the country
passed through her harbor, so that she grew in
wealth and soon became one of the most flourish-
ing of the Corinthian colonies.
The first we know of her in history is that in
480 B.C. she joined with Corinth in the war
against Xerxes, sending five hundred hoplites and
seven vessels.!0
Corinth through hostility for Aegina established
a close friendship with Athens, which she sup-
ported, in order that, through her, Aegina should
be humiliated. We have no direct proofs that
Ambracia was with Athens against Aegina, but
knowing she was very faithful to her mother-
city, we may suppose she helped Corinth.
foe COLTS? OF AMBRACIA 3
When, in 456 B.C., Aegina became tributary to
Athens, the dangerous rival to the Corinthian
influence in Peloponnesus was eliminated.’
In 432 B.C., Ambracia took an active part, on
the Corinthian side, in the war between Corinth
and Corcyra and supplied a fleet of 27 vessels.!!
At first Ambracia invaded the neighbouring
town of Argos and expelled the Amphilochians.”
They, with the help of their allies, the Akarna-
nians, later recaptured the town.*
During the second part of the Peloponnesian
war the Ambracians again besieged Argos, but
did not succeed in taking it and were obliged to
retreat. In 426 B.C., with the help of the
Lakedemonian Eurylochos, they again tried to
take that town, but the Akarnanians had received
important help from the Athenians and directed
by the Athenian general Demosthenes, they de-
feated the Ambracians at Olpai (“Odzar), and
destroyed their army completely.4 Thucydides
says that during the Peloponnesian war no other
Greek town suffered so great a calamity within so
short a time. After this defeat, a truce of 100
years was concluded between Ambracia and the
Akarnanians.&
Ambracia, always faithful to her mother-city
and to Sparta, in the last period of the Pelo-
ponnesian war (ca. 415-414) sent troops to help
Syracuse then besieged by the Athenians.
From this time she seems to have lived in
4 THE “ COLTS” OF wi ae
peace and there followed the most flourishing
epoch of her history. About 342, Alexander
of Epirus, made Ambracia one of his capitals
and sailed thence to Italy 1 (ca. 334 B.C.). In
340 B.C., she entered into the defensive league
with Athens against Philip of Macedon, but after
the battle of Chaeronea in 338 B.C., Philip
established a Macedonian garrison in the town.
As the object of the present study is the coinage
of the Ambracian mint, and as this was closed
under Philip,!? the events posterior to 338 B.C.
do not concern us. These historical facts are
cited merely to facilitate examination of the events
that may have left a mark upon the coinage.
The coinage of Ambracia is almost exclusively
staters of Corinthian types and standard; some
small denominations are recorded as belonging to
this mint, owing to the initial A under the Pegasos,
but it is more likely that they should be attributed
to some other mint. The small coins in the
British Museum, of Roman standard,!* like all
the late staters, do not belong to this mint.
In the Museum of Berlin, there are two small
coins, probably drachms, of archaic style, in-
scribed A under the Pegasos and therefore con-
sidered as being of Ambracia. These pieces are
the only instance of small coins in all the series.
To support this attribution, there is only the
initial A, but as this may be the initial of other
mints too, we prefer to leave these coins among
those of ‘uncertain mints.”
fie COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 5
The present study treats the series of beautiful
Ambracian staters. These most remarkable coins
of Corinthian types are very carefully executed.
They show much variety in composition, and the
symbols are often of great interest. Like the
Corinthian staters, those of Ambracia were known
everywhere as pegasi or ‘‘colts’’ (w@dov), and
circulated freely as a kind of international
currency. The name colts was given these
staters owing to the constant reiteration of the
principal type, the flying Pegasos, popularly
known as the ‘colt,’!9 and this type was considered
as a kind of guaranty of good alloy and weight.
A circumstance that seems to justify the great
success of the pegasi is that, although many
thousand pegasi are recorded, so far no plated
example has been met.
Ambracia’s trade with Italy and Sicily was
very important, and this explains why the greatest
number of Ambracian colts have been found in
these countries. Their abundance in Sicilian
hoards seems to indicate that, as the coinage of -
didrachms was very scanty in Sicily, they were
normally used, with the other pegasi, in the trans-
actions where didrachms, or ten-litrae pieces,
were needed.
Although hoards of pegasi have been numerous
in Sicily, it is greatly to be regretted that not a
single detailed record has been made of them.
Even when the other coins found with them have
6 THE “COLTS” GF ARR
been carefully described and published, the colts
have been completely neglected. This is due to
several reasons—a general contempt for them,
the very erroneous idea that they are such com-
mon coins that it is not worth while wasting time
over them and the scarcity of books of reference
dealing with them.
That the pegasi of Ambracia are not common
is amply proved by the following catalogue. The
coins recorded are by no means all that exist,
but as almost all the coins of the principal public
and private collections and all the coins illus-
trated in the sale catalogues have been noted, it
is surprising how few there are. Very important
museums, such as Athens and Naples, have only
half a score of specimens in their trays. Very few
series of Greek coins show such a large number of
presumably unique varieties.
I am particularly indebted to Mr. E. T. Newell,
President of the American Numismatic Society,
who has helped me with his valuable advice, and,
especially, to Mr. Sydney P. Noe, Secretary of the
American Numismatic Society, who was kind
enough to read over and correct the proofs, and
to help me with friendly criticism so that I have
modified in some cases my possibly over-bold
views, clashing with opinions which still hold the
field!”
I have to express my gratitude also to my friend
M. Michel P. Vlasto, with whom I discussed
feels OF AMBRACIA gy
many points and who has constantly assisted me
with his knowledge.
I owe my sincerest thanks to all the keepers of
public cabinets and to all owners of private col-
lections who have aided in the bringing together
of the casts of the coins described in the present
study. The following are the public and private
cabinets that have kindly sent me casts:
Athens (National Numismatic Museum),
Berlin (Kaiser Friedrich Museum),
Brussels (Cabinet des Médailles),
Cambridge (Fitzwilliam Museum),
Copenhagen (Royal Numismatic Cabinet),
Glasgow (Hunterian Collection),
Gotha (Miinzkabinett d. Herz. Hauses),
London (British Museum),
Milan (Castello Sforzesco),
Munich (Miinzkabinett),
Naples (Museo Nazionale),
Paris (Cabinet des Médailles),
Palermo (Museo Nazionale),
The Hague (Koninklijk Kabinet),
Torino (Medagliere del Re),
Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Hofmuseum),
Mr. W. Gedney Beatty, New York,
Conte de Brandis, Venice,
Comte Chandon de Briailles, Chaource,
Mr. G. Empedocles, Athens,
Col. Godefroy, Paris,
8 THE.“ COLTS” OF ASB Atsr
Mr. Paul Mathey, Paris,
Mr. R. E. Hart, Blackburn,
Mr. Hoyt Miller, Long Island,
Mr. E. T. Newell, New York,
Prof. Sir Charles Oman, Oxford, Eng.
Dr. Petzalis, Athens,
Dr. E. P. Robinson, Newport, R. I.,
Dr. Bernhard, St. Moritz,
J. Mavrogordato, Eden Bridge, Eng.
Many other public cabinets and private collec-
tions had no specimens of Ambracia in their
trays, or were unable to send me casts.
SYMBOLS
On a great number of the staters of Corinthian
type there are symbols in the field of the reverses.
Some of these are common to all mints and gen-
erally represent a variety of simple or conven-
tionalized objects such as animals, insects, plants,
or articles associated with religious ceremonies,
GLC:
Others of more complicated nature are found
chiefly on the Ambracian colts. They sometimes
represent human figures of comparatively large
size—at times real ‘‘tableaux de genre.”
Head, speaking of the symbols found on the
staters of Corinth corresponding to those illus-
trated on pl. XIX, a, b, c, d, e, f, says that they
fee COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 9
are doubtless magistrates’ signets, and that those
found on the series with the magistrates’ initials
stand for mint-officials of lower rank, who were
replaced at frequent intervals, perhaps annually,
while the superior magistrate remained in office
for a longer period of time.”
Prof. Oman repeats this explanation but applies
the theory of mint-officials changing annually to
the great variety of symbols found on the early
staters without initials.”!
Babelon follows Head’s opinion.”
The writer’s idea is that it is a mistake to
generalize on the basis of this theory. It may be
that the symbols on the late Corinthian coins with
initials AA—AYT—AP—AI—A-T-I-N* have some
connection with the mint-officials, but this possi-
bility is no more than conjecture that has still to
be proved. If the symbols are really magistrates’
signets, it can only be ascertained through a care-
ful examination of a large number of die-combina-
tions.
There is a class of staters studied by Sir Charles
Oman in his paper on the Fifth century coins of
Corinth that presents a strong objection to
Head’s opinion.
Fourteen reverses with different symbols are
found coupled with two obverses so similar that
only a very slight difference in the position of the
Pegasos head and fore-legs permits one to see that
they are not of the same die. These dies (pl.
10 THE “COLTS? OF Ai Bia
XIX, A and B) are apparently contemporary, and
this is proved since the same reverses are found
coupled with both.
The reverses found coupled with A have the fol-
lowing symbols:
1. Five dolphins. (Cf. Babelon Tr., pl. CCX,
10.)
2. Three dolphins. Berlin.
3. Two dolphins. (Cf. Num. Chron., 1909, pl.
XXIX, 30.)
4. Dolphin and eagle’s head, pl. XIX, a.
5. Dolphin and bunch of grapes with two leaves,
pl. XIX, db.
6. Dolphin and cock. (Cf. Cat. Weber, 3693.)
7. Figure with bow to left and AI. Cf. Ratto,
1927, pl. XXXIX, 146. .
8. Little figure standing to r., pl. XIX, c.
9. Dolphin and figure standing to r. (Cf.
Sotheby, 1921, pl. XIII, 278.)
The reverses found coupled with B have the fol-
lowing symbols:
10. Dolphin and thymiaterion, pl. XIX, d.
11. Dolphin and palmette, pl. XIX, e.
12. Same, but different die. (Cf. Corolla Num.,
ra) bee, Ret oh
13. Herakles with bow to r. and TI; Berlin.
14. Dolphin and figure to 1., pl. XIX, f.
15. Figure with bow to 1. and AI. (Cf. Egger,
1908, pl. XIII, 477.) Same die as 7.
eee ee OLS OF AMBRACIA fi
16. Dolphin and bunch of grapes with two leaves.
ere ama Car. 31909, pl, X XIX, 32.)
Same die as 5.
I have found 42 staters from these die-combina-
tions. Two of these 14 different reverses, Nos. 5
and 7, are found coupled with both A and B. Only
two, Nos. 1 and 5, are found coupled with other
obverse-dies. The first is found with an obverse
depicting a standing Pegasos (cf. Babelon, pl.
CCX, 11) and the second with a flying Pegasos
Oy latepeatyie. (Cf. Ratto, 1927, pl. XX XIX,
1438.)
This group.of colts shows a concrete sequence
of dies, where No. 1 represents the link with the
previous issues and No. 5 the link with the follow-
ing. We can therefore infer that the 14 reverses
are all contemporary. But the above mentioned
staters have been placed by Professor Oman in
different periods, ranging from 414 to 394 B.C.,
Nos. 1 and 2 in the “Circle of dolphins class,”’
Nos. 11 and 12 in the ‘‘Palmette and dolphin
class’’ and the others in Period IX (Dolphin and
varying annual symbols).
If we accept this classification, we are obliged
to assume that the two dies A and B have been
in constant use for 20 years, which is certainly
not possible.
If the symbols stand for the magistrates’
badges, there must have been at least 13
magistrates in the mint of Corinth, during the
12 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
use of the two dies that we have seen were
employed at the same time, and this is certainly
very difficult to believe.
Even if we only take into consideration the
symbols we find on the reverses coupled with
die A alone, we should find, during the use of one
single die, at least nine magistrates, as there are
nine different symbols.
On the other hand if we consider only the dies
belonging to Professor Oman’s Period IX, the
eleven symbols we find would represent the mint-
marks, or badges of magistrates that changed at
least once a year. Therefore the two dies that we
have seen were used at the same time would have
been employed constantly during eleven years.
From what we know of the technique of ancient
coining 7° this is most improbable too. No die
could stand hard hammering for such a long time;
a duration of two years would certainly be more
than we can expect from a die under normal
circumstances.
Studying a large number of colts of Corinth, of
which I have collected a considerable number of
casts, with a view to establishing their chrono-
logical sequence, it has been found that the
above case is not an exception. On the contrary
we find very often a large number of reverses with
differing symbols, coupled with the same obverse
die. This is also met with in the Ambracian
series. For instance, coins Nos. 125 to 132 have
Pee COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 13
all the obverses from the same die, coupled with
eight reverses with different symbols. These
coins are certainly contemporary and belong to
the same issue; in this case, too, we should have
eight magistrates in charge at the same time, and
this is even more astonishing in a mint as small
as Ambracia.
We, also find cases sometimes that at first
glance seem just the reverse. Several symbols
are repeated for a long time and on reverses of
quite different style. For instance, we find the
kerykeion on coins of Ambracia of the second and
third period. ‘There are ten dies (P 10, 11, 22,
BperO meee 1,32, 33) ail with the same
symbol, and their issue is certainly wide apart in
time. How can we explain that in the same
mint in the one case we have a single magistrate
for a long period and in the other eight magis-
trates during the short life-time of a single die?
From these considerations we should be justi-
fied in concluding that the symbols on the pegasi
cannot represent the signets of mint-officials or
magistrates, and that their meaning must be
quite different.
One class of symbols is found repeated on the
coins of the same mint, such as the Club on those
of Dyrrhachium, the Achelous’head on the coins of
Stratos, the Bow on those of Alyzia. In these
cases, owing to their constant reiteration, they
are not considered as magistrates’ signets, but
2
14 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRAGIS
as a kind of mrapdonuov** of the town. It is
evident that they imply a religious meaning,
being the attributes of gods whose cult was
greatly in honour there. But these symbols were
by no means used at the above mentioned mints
exclusively; we find the Club, the Achelous’ head
and the Bow symbols also on the colts of Ambracia
(No. 29, pl. III, No. 89, pl. XII, No. 54, pl. V).
If these symbols have a religious meaning on the
colts of Dyrrhachium, Stratos and Alyzia, why
should they not have the same meaning on the
other colts?
Our hypothesis for explaining the symbols is
that they were at first merely ornamental devices,
meant to embellish the composition and to break
the bareness of the field. Later, attributes of
gods were chosen with the same object, but with
the supplementary purpose of putting the issue
under the protection of a tutelary divinity. Once
the fashion of the symbols became established,
they must have been considered a kind of cus-
tomary accessory to the Athena’s head, and the
die-cutters gave free course to their imagination
and a great variety of objects were chosen, but
chiefly from among the numerous amorporara of
recognized protective power.
The symbols on the colts were for a long time
religious and, after the usual attributes of gods,
we find totems of all kinds, gods themselves or
reproductions of well-known statues of divinities
tie ec OLES OF AMBRACIA 15
or heroes and even mythological scenes or allu-
sions to some legendary or historical event. This
class of symbols should be considered as a kind of
accessory type, added to the standard Corinthian
type.
We can follow this evolution, step by step, on
the colts of Ambracia.
On the first archaic issues we find no symbols
(Nos. 1 to 7, pl. I), but on the following issue,
which we shall show hereafter was probably struck
at Corinth, we find an ivy-branch (Nos. 8 to 11,
pl. I). The nature of the symbol and its decora-
tive disposition leave no doubt that it was meant
to embellish the composition.
The first symbol that follows the ivy-branch is
a kerykeion, and we have already noted that this
is found repeated for a long time in periods II
and III (pl. IJ, III], IV, and V). The kerykeion
marks the first step in the evolution of the original
purpose, which was simply decorative. The
choice was natural; this symbol is not only a
decorative device, but has its own particular
meaning. In fact what could have been found
more appropriate for an issue of coins than the
golden rod of Hermes, the herald of peaceful
intercourse among people and the symbol of
trade?
Later, however, only the religious meaning
survived and, as the kerykeion was the attribute
of Hermes, there were no reasons that those of the
16 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACTA
other gods worshipped should not have been
employed also as symbols. Thus we have the
Club 7° of Herakles, the Kantharos of Dionysos,
the Tripod of Apollo.
From these simple attributes we pass to the
figures of divinities such as the flying Nike, a
Satyr, an Eros (?), and later local gods and heroes
—Arachthos, Gorgos and the Dol phin-rider—were
taken for symbols. On some coins we even find
complete scenes, like the girl playing at Kottabos
and Ambrax watching the fight of the serpent with
the tortoise.
It is therefore evident that the study of these
symbols is of more interest than if they are consid-
ered as mint-marks or magistrates’ signets only.
Adrien Blanchet saw the importance of the
study of these symbols and in his paper “‘ Repre-
sentations de statues sur les statéres de Corinthe”’
concludes that the study of them may supply us
with considerable archeological and chronological
information.
In the present study great importance has
therefore been given to the symbols and we have
attempted to explain their meaning. Unfor-
tunately we know very little about the local
legends of Ambracia and consequently we can
submit an interpretation in a few cases only.
Many symbols, in spite of our endeavours, are
incomprehensible and will perhaps remain puzzles
until new archeological discoveries shall have
furnished us with the necessary clues.
ter COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 17,
SAiRONOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION
The classification of the staters of Corinthian
types has always been considered a very difficult
task. In the introduction of the Catalogue of the
British Museum for Corinth, Head says that few
series of coins present greater difficulties. Prof.
P. Gardner says that to arrange them accurately
by date is impossible.*!. The great uniformity of
types, and the small differences of style, were the
chief difficulties.
But as many other Greek series present the
same peculiarity and have been carefully classi-
fied, we are justified in believing that there must
be other reasons.
As a rule in all ancient coins the die with deep
relief was fixed to the anvil, and used as a pile;
the other die was used as a punch or trussel and
received the blow. The die fixed to the anvil
was the one which gave the more important side
of the coin, or obverse; and the side from the
punch die was the reverse. This last received the
blows and therefore lasted a shorter time than the
die fixed to the anvil, which accounts for the fact
that generally the reverses are more numerous
than the obverses.3*
Although on the Corinthian staters the head of
Athena,” apparently the more important side of
the coin, is on the reverse, the Pegasos is on the
obverse; therefore it is the principal type.*? On
18 THE “COLTS” OF Agrpi ae
the earliest coins of Corinth we find the Pegasos
on the obverse, and on the reverse only a kind of
incuse pattern. Afterwards Athena’s head took
the place of the incuse device, while the flying-
horse, the zapdonuov of Corinth, remained on
the obverse.*4
In all attempts at classification of the colts,
the obverses, viz., the most important side of the
coin, have been completely neglected, even in the
best catalogues. Often they are not even illus-
trated and their descriptions are limited to
“Pegasos flying r. or 1.’ 34 Modern authors,
following this general habit, try to establish the
chronological sequence of the types by studying
the reverses only.
Although at first sight the obverses seem simi-
lar, they are by no means so nearly alike as it
was generally supposed. If we study them
closely, we are surprised to see how different
they really are. If they look similar, it is a
probability that they are closely related—that the
coins either belong to the same issue or at least
to the same period.
This uniformity of the obverses, which was the
reason for their being neglected, is of great help in
the study of the series.
In fact, it is obvious that it is much easier to
perceive differences of design and style on artistic
productions if they always reproduce the same
object, than if this varies.
Pree OL or OF AMBRACTA 19
It is misleading to rely on style alone, and in
the present study several cases confirm this.*®
Striking differences of style are to be found on
coins of the same epoch, either becausé earlier
types were copied intentionally, or because, in all
epochs, there were clever and inferior engravers
working together and therefore good and bad
style. .
In trying to establish the chronology of the
colts of Ambracia,*** we have followed the only
really scientific system, that of the die-sequence,
inaugurated by Regling and followed by Tudeer,
Newell, Seltman and other modern numis-
matists.*6
The coinage of Ambracia is particularly inter-
esting, as the dies interlace frequently. This fact
permits us to establish a die-sequence that is
almost continuous. Naturally there are missing
links, but in this case stylistic considerations
help greatly to bridge the interruptions.
Some die-combinations that we do not know
may come to light, and these may change the
sequence submitted herein and demand a “re-
shuffling,’’ but the present essay is only a modest
attempt at the classification, and it should be
-considered as the first step to a more complete and
exhaustive work.
The coinage has been divided into five chrono-
logical periods, taking into consideration the estab-
lished die-sequence, comparisons of style and the
available historical data.
20 THE “COLTS” OF AMDEAL .
First Period—from 480 to 456 B.C. (Archaic
style).
Second Period—from 456 to 426 B.C. (Transi-
tional style).
Third Period—from 426 to 404 B.C. (Fine style).
Fourth Period—from 404 to 360 B.C. (Finest
style).
Fifth Per1od—from 360 to 338 B.C. (Beginning of
the decline).
Both Head * and Babelon agree in fixing the
beginning of the coinage of Ambracia at 480 B.C.,
when Ambracia joined the war against Xerxes.
Babelon supposes the first issue of coins to have
been made to pay the Ambracian troops.*®
The second period begins with the fall of Aegina
in 456 B.C. and ends with the defeat of Olpai.
The third period beginning with the truce of
100 years ends with the fall of Athens. The
date of 360 B.C. closing the fourth period is only
conjectural. The fifth period ends with the clos-
ing of the mint in 338 B.C.
The periods have been subdivided into groups,
taking as a rule the obverses rather than the
reverses into consideration. It would be im-
possible to establish groups or classes where.
obverses and reverses would exactly fit. Because
of the concatenation of the dies several reverses
from the same die are coupled with obverses of
two groups. We do not fix any dating for the
fee COULLS ? OF AMBRACIA 21
groups as this would only be guess-work and
consequently of very doubtful utility.
The system of labelling in the following cata-
logue is the same that has been adopted by C. T.
Seltman in his ‘‘ Athens, its History and Coinage.”’
Each coin or die-combination has a progressive
a is called the ‘‘Edge of the wing’’; b, the ‘‘Upper part
of the wing’’; c, the ‘‘Row of small feathers’; d, the ‘‘Row
of long feathers.’ The numbering of the feathers begins
from the top.
number; each obverse die has a progressive num-
ber following the letter A (Anvil-die). Each
reverse a number following the letter P (Punch-
die). Each recorded specimen of the same die-
combination is lettered a, b, c, etc. Thus 760 is
22 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRAU IA
the specimen in the Cabinet des Médailles in
Paris from the obverse die A 39 and the reverse
P5415
To show the complete die-sequence all the
finest available coins have been illustrated on the
plates; in this way it is easier to follow the inter-
lacing of the dies. When two specimens complete
each other, both have been illustrated. As all the
coins were struck with loose dies, the relative
position of the dies has been omitted.*® The
weight of each coin has been noted when avail-
able; the results of a Hill-Robinson frequency-
table are indicated afterwards.
The wing of the Pegasos, being the part that
shows the greatest variety in shape, is the essential
feature of the obverse. An accurate description
of it is therefore obligatory to recognize the
different dies. As the terms employed may be
wrongly interpreted, the cut on the preceding
page is necessary.
CATALOGUE OF JE Yrs
I PERIoD, FROM 480 To 456 B.C.
Group A
1 Ad. Pegasos bridled, the two bridle-reins
visible, with curled wing, flying r. The upper
part of the wing *° is composed of seven feathers.
Head very long compared to the body. Beneath
Pegasos, near |. hind-hoof, A.
Pree COTS” OF AMBRACTA 23
tity tlead of Athena r.’ wearing Cotin-
thian helmet without neck-guard; hair in queue
ending in a little knot. Eye in full face, the lips
smiling. Around neck, a stringlike necklace.
All within deep incuse square. Pl, I.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.51, 18 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
b. London, grm. 8.45, 18 mm. (Cat. Weber, 3828).
c. Glasgow, Hunterian Collection, 18 mm.
d. The Hague (Six Coll.), grm. 7.05, 18 mm. (very poor).
e. Cat. Egger, 1908, 493, grm. 8.45, 18 mm.
2 Ad. From the same die.
P 2. Similar head of Athena but smaller.
Pl. I.
a. O. Ravel, Marseilles, grm. 8.65, 17x19 mm. (Naville
ALT 1926,°1310).
b. Col. Godefroy, grm. 8.30, 18 mm.
3 A2. Similar Pegasos, single bridle-rein
visible. A slightly larger.
P38. Similar head of Athena r.; in higher
relief, hair wavy on forehead. Necklace of beads.
All within deep incuse square. Pl. I.
a. i. TD. Newell, grm. 8.72, 20 mm.
b. Cat. de Sartiges, 293, 21 mm.
c. Hirsch XXV, 1909, 1144, grm. 8.51, 20 mm.
4 A8. Same Pegasos, probably from the
same hub, both reins visible. A placed nearer
the fore-legs.
Pow) Similar head of Athena r., only very
slight differences.
a. Naville I (Pozzi), 1740, grm. 8.45, 20 mm.
24 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRAGT.:
5 A4. Similar Pegasos flying r., the upper
part of the wing composed of six feathers, two
reins visible.
P 4. Same die. Pl. I.
E. T. Newell, grm. 8.60, 19 mm.
Berlin, 28633, grm. 7.99, 18x20 mm.
Cat. Sambon, 1923 (Picard), 458, 20 mm.
Naville VI, 1924 (Bement), 960, grm. 8.55, 19 mm.
sors
6 Ad. A thinner Pegasos with wing less
spread.
P 4. Same die. Pl. I.
a. Palermo hoard, 983, grm. 8.35, 20 mm.
b. Cambridge, McClean, 5096, grm. 8.38, 18 mm., pl.
185, 1.4
¢.. Turin; 20mm:
7 A6. Pegasos flying r., the upper part of
the wing composed of five feathers, beneath, A.
P 8. Same die. Pl. I.
a. Copenhagen, grm. 8.54, 19 mm.
b. von Gwinner, grm. 8.63, 20 mm. Dr. Ph. Lederer,
Seltene Griech. Miin. der Samml. A. v. Gwinner, Berliner
Miinzblatter, 1916, taf. 2, 12.
Group B
8 AZ. Pegasos, bridled, with curled wing,
flying r., the upper part of the wing composed of
four feathers. The body is short and plump,
head better proportioned; very high relief. Be-
neath, large archaic A.
iat COLTS’ OF AMBRACIA 25
P 5. Head of Athena r., wearing Corin-
thian helmet without neck-guard, grape. cluster
earring and necklace of -beads. Hair in queue
ending in a knot; to l1., ivy-branch with three
berries and two leaves, all within deep incuse
square. Pint
a. O. Ravel, Marseilles, grm. 8.50, 16 mm., ex Naville,
I, 1741 (Pozzi coll.).
b. London, 2a, grm. 8.70, 17 mm.
9 A8. Similar Pegasos r., differs from A 7
in row of small feathers, in position of forelegs
as well as in position of A.
P$. Same die. Pi. I.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.69, 17 mm.
Dee ioonden, grin, 8.20, 15xt7°mm., -_B.M.. Cat.,’, pl.
KAY LE 4d.
6. London, 2; erm. 8.23, 15x17 mm.
d. Cat. Naville VI, 1924, 962 (Bement), grm. 8.62,
18 mm., ex Sotheby, 1916 (Headlam), 371.
e. Copenhagen, grm. 8.68, 17 mm.
f. Brussels, grm. 7.83 (very poor), 18 mm.
g. Comte Chandon de Briailles, grm. 8.20, 18 mm.
10 AS8. Same die.
P 6. Similar head to r., ivy-branch with
larger leaves. 1 2d Bal
a. Gotha, grm. 8.73, 17 mm.
11 A¥9. Similar Pegasos, but slightly larger.
Upper part of the wing composed of five feathers.
P6. Same die. poe ba
26 THE * COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
a. Brussels, grm. 8.40, 17 mm.
b. Berlin (Prokesch-Osten), grm. 8.34, 18 mm.
c. Berlin (Imhoof-Blumer), grm. 8.03 (worn), 18x20
mm.
d. G. Empedocles, Athens, grm. 8.46, 18 mm. (ex
Naville I, Pozzi, 1743).
e. -G. Empedocles, grm. 8.55, 16x19 mm. (ex Naville I,
Pozzi, 1742, and Egger, 1908, 494).
f. BP. Mathey, Paris, grm. 8.50, 18 mm.
g. Cat. de Sartiges, 292, 18 mm.
h. Cat. Naville VI, 1923 (Bement), 961, grm. 8.33,
18 mm.
II PERIOD, FROM 456 TO 426 B.C.
Group A
12 A110. Pegasos unbridled with curled wing
flying 1.; under head, archaic A, beneath, serpent
coiled round land-tortoise and striking atit. This
symbol is placed near r. hind-hoof, the tortoise’s
head towards the body of Pegasos.
P 7. Head of Athena 1., wearing Corin-
thian helmet without neck-guard, hair falling
loosely in long locks over the neck. On the top
of the helmet stands a bull butting to |; to l.
in the angle of the die, A, sidewise; all within incuse
square. Pi. I.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.51, 20 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer) .
b. Berlin, grm. 8.25, 15x24 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
c. Cat. Naville I, 1920 (Pozzi), 1745, grm. 8.17, 19 mm.
fee COLTS OF AMBRACIA 27
13 Ad10O. From the same die.
P §&. Same head but slightly thinner,
helmet longer, bull smaller, no letter visible.
a. The Hague (Six), grm. 7.30, 18x20 mm. (very poor).
14 Adi. Similar to the above; between the
symbol and r. hind-leg a crosslike mark or letter.
P 9. Similar head of Athena 1. but wear-
ing neck-guard under Corinthian helmet. Bull
standing with its hind-legs on the edge of the neck-
guard, butting vertically downwards; to l., A,
all within incuse square. Pl, I.
a. O. Ravel, Marseilles, grm. 8.15, 19 mm.
15) 2 ts Same cie.
Poe ssamedie as (3. Pl. II.
a. Munich, grm. 8.66, 18x21 mm.
16 Ail. Same die.
P10. Head of Athena 1., wearing Corin-
thian helmet over neck-guard, long loose locks
coming out from it. To r. kerykeion, all within
incuse square; tol., A. Pl. I.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.30, 18 mm.
b. Hirsch XXXIV, 1914, 408, grm. 8.20, 20 mm.
17 Ai2. Pegasos as above, but neck and
upper part of the wing longer, fore-legs more
apart. The symbol is differently placed, the
28 THE “ COLTS” OF ABR aea.
tortoise’s head is to 1., the serpent’s head is under
l. fore-hoof. No crosslike sign.
P 7. Same die aziz. Pl. II.
a. London, 17, grm. 8.50, 16x20 mm., B. M. Cat.,
pl. XXVII, 14.. E. Babelon Trt. JV, piai2s, 201
COL XX2E 6:
b. Hirsch XXXI, 1912, 384, grm. 8.27, 21 mm.
18 A112. Same die.
P 11. Similar head to P 10, but smaller,
to 1., A, to r. kerykeion, all within incuse square.
Pl. IT.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.09, 18 mm.
19 A113. Similar Pegasos, but wing smaller,
symbol smaller and nearer the body.
P11. Same die. Pl. I.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.35, 19 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer), Babe-
lon Tr.;.t. [V.p. 126,260
b. Gotha, grm. 8.48, 18x22 mm.
20 A JIS. Samedie
P10. Same die as 16. Pl. II.
a. London, 49, grm. 8.26, 17x20 mm, B. M. Cat., pl.
XXIX, 5.4 E. Babelon Tr.,:t. TV, p. 142, ane
b. G. Empedocles, grm. 8.48, 19 mm.
c. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.44, 20 mm.
d. Hirsch XXVI, 1910, 517, grm. 8.48, 22 mm.
Pee COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 29
Group B
21 Adi4. Pegasos unbridled, with straight
wing, flying r.; beneath, A.
Pipe Same ate as: 3. Pl. IT.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.29, 17x20 mm.
22. Adt4&. Same die.
P12. Head of Athena r., wearing Corin-
thian helmet without neck-guard, hair in long
wavy locks over neck, incuse square. Pl. II.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.15, 20 mm.
23 Al4. Same die.
iio omar, gead lL; hair more. curly;
incuse square. ) Pi. II.
gO. Ravel, erm. 8:35, 22 mim.
24 Ai14. Same die. (Pegasos badly struck,
looks larger.)
P14. Similar head of Athena I., wearing
Corinthian helmet over very small neck-guard,
long locks coming down over neck, at r. a crab tol.
Pl. II.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.25, 17x20 mm.
25° A 104 Similar Pegasos to r., but larger.
Pi4. Same die. Pl. I.
a. Gotha, grm. 8.43, 16x19 mm.
3
30 THE “COLTS” OF AMBER Atrs
26 A116. Pegasos, unbridled, flying 1., body
fat, wing very large, edge beginning from near the
head.
P14. Same die. Pl. III.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.09, 17x19 mm.
27 A117. Similar Pegasos with straight wing,
flying 1. Edge of wing “ parallel to the body;
beneath, A.
P15. Head of Athena 1|., wearing Corin-
thian helmet without neck-guard, hair in long
locks falling down on neck and covering it com-
pletely; to r. behind the neck, kantharos; incuse
square. Pl. III.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 7.87, 19 mm.
28 Ai17. Same die.
P16. Similar head, hair in short curly
locks partially covering the neck, to r. in lower
corner of incuse, kantharos. Pl. ITI.
a. London, grm. 8.38, 19 mm), oi. ee
XXVIII, 15. Babelon Tr., t. IV, 134, 289, pl. CCLXXXI,
tts
29 Ai1?. Same die.
P17. Head of Athena to r. wearing neck-
guard under helmet; to 1. large club, all within
incuse square. PI, TIL.
a. London, grm. 8.40, 18 mm., B. M. Cat., Dyrrhachium,
1, pl. XXVI, 2. E. Babelon Tr., t. 1V, p. ae0,,0e0,00.
CCAR, T8t
fae COLTS’ OF AMBRACIA 31
30 A18. Similar Pegasos flying |., body and
legs longer; beneath, A.
P18. Similar to P 13, only club thinner
and differently placed. PES LIT:
a. O. Ravel, Marseilles, grm. 8.35, 20 mm. (ex Naville
XII, 1926, 1303, Dyrrhachium).48
31 Ad19. Similar Pegasos, body longer, edge
of the wing not parallel to the body, but slanting
upwards; beneath, archaic A.
Peide similar jhead. of -Athena 1.;.-no
symbol visible. Pl. III.
Oo) arin, 17x19 mm:
32 A 20. Pegasos flying 1., body fat, wing
very large, edge beginning from near the head,
beneath fore-legs, A.
P 20. Athena’s head as previously, only
to r.; to r. laurel-leaf (or grain of barley); to 1.
small A; incuse square. Pi. III.
a. Cambridge, grm. 8.36, 19 mm., Cat. McClean, 5101,
Pistooy 0;
b. Berlin, grm. 8.29, 21 mm., Imhoof-Blumer.
Gide ow, 1911, 410, grm,. 8.34; °20 mm.
(Leucas).
d. Egger, 1912 (Coll. Prowe), 1067, grm. 8.09, 20 mm.
(Leucas).
33 A 21. Same, but A differently placed.
Peete yomilar, head r., to l:<1vy-leaf,
incuse square. Pl. III.
a. Munich, grm. 8.23, 19 mm.
32 THE “COLTS” OF AMSRaa.
Group C
34 A 22. Pegasos unbridled with straight
wing flying 1., similar to A 19, but body shorter
and head raised; beneath, A.
P 22. Very similar to P 10 (pl. II); the
nose of the goddess and her chin are more pointed
and the neck-guard is larger; to l., A, to r., kery-
keion. ‘Traces of incuse square. Pl. III.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.35, 17x19 mm.
35. A 22. Same die.
P 28. Similar head, but larger; to l., A,
to r., kerykeion, traces of incuse square. PI. III.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.12, 19x21 mm.
36 A 22. Same die.
P 24. Head of Athena r., wearing Corin-
thian helmet over neck-guard, to l|., dagger in
scabbard, incuse square. The eye of the goddess
is almost facing. | Pl. TIL.
a. London, B. M. Cat., Uncertain mints, 4, pl. X XIX,
3, grm. 8.32, 16x22 mm. Babelon Tr., t. IV, p. 125, 271,
ple: CCLA Kea.
37 A 22. Same die.
P 25. Head of Athena r., wearing Corin-
thian helmet bound with olive-wreath, symbol to
1. off-flan, in the r. corner of incuse square, A with
its cross-piece parallel to outer line of the helmet.
Pl. II.
a. London, grm. 8.37, 15x18 mm., B. M. Cat., 45.
fae COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 33
38 A 23. Similar Pegasos; the only difference
is that the first feather of the small ones is shorter
and the third long feather is bent downwards.
P 26. Athena, head to 1., with short locks
and very small neck-guard. Eye almost facing;
over the helmet tol., A. Tor. a wreath encircling
a kerykeion. This symbol, clearly visible in the
reproduction, is formed by a circle with twelve
pellets disposed in four groups of three round it.
The kerykeion is superimposed; near its staff,
inside the circle, there are two additional pellets
on each side. Pl. IV.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.18, 18 mm., Lébbecke.
39 A 23. Same die.
Je7. Flead of Athena similar to that of
die P 10, but helmet bound with olive-wreath.
Tor., kerykeion placed vertically, all within incuse
square. Pl. IV.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.36, 18 mm. (found in Pachino,
Sicily).
b. Berlin, grm. 8.34, 18 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
40 A 23. Same die.
P 28. Head of Athena r., wearing helmet
over small neck-guard and necklace of large
beads; tol., large archaic A; tor., Nike flying tol.,
holding outstretched fillet over the goddess’
helmet. The whole within incuse square.
Pl. IV.
34 THE “COLTS” OF AMER Ars
a. Berlin, grm. 8.53, 18 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer ).
b. Berlin, grm. 8.36, 18x23 mm. (Lébbecke).
c. Cambridge, grm. 8.50, 18x22 mm. (Cat. McClean,
5102, ple 185,
d. Egger, 1908, 491, grm. 8.25,59 23 mm.
41 A 23. Same die.
P 23. Same die as 35. Pl. IV.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.20, 19 mm.
b. Naples hoard, 41, 18 mm.
42 A 23. Same die.
P 29. Head of Athena r., of very coarse
style. Neck-guard very large, eye protruding,
chin abnormally large; tol., kerykeion. PI. IV.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.20, 17 mm.
43 A 24. Similar Pegasos. Legs and _ tail
longer; beneath, A.
P 30. Similar head of Athena r. Stylea
little better, eye still protruding; to r. in the
upper corner of incuse square, A; tol., obelisk of
Ambracia on a large base. Pl. IV.
E. T. Newell, grm. 8.31, 19 mm.
E. T. Newell, grm. 8.49, 18x20 mm.
Athens, grm. 8.29,5! 17x22 mm.
Berlin, grm. 7.98, 17x23 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
O. Ravel, grm. 8.57, 18 mm., found near Catania.
Commerce (Paris), very poor, 18 mm.
iaenas Cus sya Si
Pee OLS OF AMBRACIA 35
Pie PERIOD FROM 426 To 404 B.C.
Group A
44 A 25. Pegasos of high relief, with straight
wing, flying r., mane long, head large, first feather
of wing ® the longest.
P $1. Athena’s head r., wearing Corin-
thian helmet bound with olive, hair in spiral
curls over cheek and neck; to 1., kerykeion; Ain
the r. upper corner of incuse square. Pl. 1V.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 7.98, 19 mm.
45 A 26. Pegasos of very high relief, flying
r., coarse style, body heavy and clumsy, legs very
thick.
Pool .. Same dic. PL LV;
a. Berlin, grm. 8.12, 18 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
Dea ars wernt, 5:45, 16x21 mm., Babelon Tr., t. IV,
Didi 10 el GCUX XXII; 8.
¢. London, grm. 7.90, 18x21 mm., B. M. Cat., 47.
46 A 27. Similar Pegasos but of better style,
second feather the longest; outline of second wing
visible, legs thinner.
P 82. Similar head but helmet plain; to
l., kerykeion above a large archaic A. PIoIV.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.66, 17x20 mm. (Fox).
b. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.10, 21 mm.
36 THE. “COLTS” OF AMBRAGIA
47 A 27. Same die with diagonal fracture
under Pegasos.
P 81. Same die as 44. Pl. IV.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.19, 17x20 mm. (Lébbecke).
b. London, grm. 8.35, 20\ mm., B. Ma. Cat, 46, pl
XXIX, 4.
c. Naples hoard, 40, 20 mm.
48 A227. Same die.
P 26. Same die as No. 38. Pl. IV.
a. London, 10a, grm. 8.29, 20 mm.
49 A 27. Same die with same fracture.
P 38. Similar head to P 32, face shorter;
to 1., kerykeion with short staff, to r. in the upper
corner of incuse square A. Pl. V.
a. Bertin, grm. 8.36, 20 mm. (Lébbecke).
50 A 28. Similar Pegasos but second wing
not visible, hind-legs nearer together.
P 32. Same die as 46, large flaw over
helmet and under neck truncation. PL:
a. London, grm. 8.45, B. M. Cat., 48, 18x23 mm.
51 A 28. Same die.
P 26.- Same die as 38 (pl. IV). Pl. V.
a. Vienna, grm. 8.32, 18 mm.
b. The Hague, grm. 8.50, 20 mm. (Six).
ieee COLTS” OF AMBRACIA a7)
52 A 29. Similar Pegasos flying r., hind-legs
more apart and fore-legs less bent.
P 33. Same die as 49. Bieve
a. E.T. Newell, grm. 8.04, 17x20 mm.
53 A 29. Same die.
P31. Same die as 44 (pl. IV).. Pia
a. Munich, grm. 7.89, 18 mm.
Group B
54 ” OF AMBRACIA Al
d- -onden, etm. 8.55, 18x22 mm., B, M. Cat., 31,. pl.
DX VIL ty
b. G. Empedocles, grm. 8.35, 20 mm., Cat. Sotheby,
1920, 57.
Gelondon, prm. $.36, 20 mm., B. M: Cat., 32.
@.earis, stm. 4.55, 18x21°mm., Babelon Tr:, t. IV, p.
tips orp. COL XXX, 18.
65 A 85. Similar Pegasos to |. better propor-
tioned, head and neck larger; beneath, A.
eee ericad of Athena !., to r., small
plump owl facing. Pl. VI.
a. Cambridge, grm. 8.28, 20 mm., Cat. McClean, 5118,
pl. 186, 3.57 ;
b. Berlin, grm. 8.22, 22 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
c. The Hague, grm. 8.45, 22 mm. (Six).
d. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.52, 18x22 mm.
ener avel, grim. 8.35, 19x22 mm:, ex Naville XII,
1926, 1315.
f. Cat. de Sartiges, 296, 20 mm.
60.2 °4°85... Same die.
P 43. Same die as 64. Pl. VI.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.21, 15x21 mm.
67 A 386. Pegasos flying r., edge of the wing
parallel to the body; beneath, A.
| P45. Same head as on die P 43, to I.
large fly. Pigs.
a. Cambridge, grm. 8.70, 19 mm., Cat. McClean coll.,
5106, pl. 185, 11.59 ,
42 THE “COLTS” OGF-AMBIVAG a
68 As anos
104 A 47. Same die.
=P 68. Sammie die‘as 100. Pl. IX.
a. Brussels, grm. 8.25, 23 mm.
Peoondgn . 2a bas B
c. London; erm. 8.18, 20 mm., B. M. Cat., 40.
d. Berlin, grm. 8.19, 19 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
e. Cambridge, grm. 8.44, 18 mm., Cat. McClean, 5109,
pl. 185, 14.
f. Copenhagen, grm. 8.62, 19 mm.
g. Glasgow, Hunterian coll., 19 mm.
h. Munich, grm. 8.40, 18x22 mm.
4, Paris, erm. 8.52, 18 mm., Babelon Tr., t. IV, p. 138,
Ue DL OULA Ak, 20,79
Vienna, grm. 8.43, 18 mm.
E. T. Newell, grm. 8.16, 22 mm.
O. Ravel, grm. 7.96, 21 mm.
Hirsch XXX, 1911, 530, grm. 8.53, 19 mm.
Naville V, 1923, 2134, grm. 8.20, 18 mm.
Naville XII, 1926, 1316, grm. 8.51, 18 mm.
os 3S Hey.
58 THE “COLTS® OF AMBrRAGa
114 A452. Same die.
P77. Head of Athena as on die P 73,
but ethnic is omitted; symbol off-flan.
a. Naville I, 1920 (Pozzi), 1746, grm. 8.45, 19 mm.
Group C
115 A 53. Pegasos unbridled, flying!. First
feather of the small feathers pointed and extend-
ing beyond the edge of the wing; upper part of the
wing composed of seven feathers.
P71. Same die as 106. Pix:
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.33, 16x18 mm.
116 A 5&3. Same die.
P 78. Head of Athena r. wearing neck-
guard under Corinthian helmet, on which, A; tol.
youthful river-god Arachthos, naked, horned,
seated to r. on bull’s head facing, clasping hands
round |. knee; over the god’s head APAT. ...
Pl. X.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.34, 16 mm. (Lébbecke).
b. Cambridge, grm. 8.21, 17 mm., Cat. McClean, 5105,
pl. 1385)10;"4
c. O. Ravel, grm. 8.40, 19 mm.
d. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.17.
117 A 58. Same die.
P79. Head of Athena r., helmet very
small; to l., A, to r. naked bearded hero, wearing
conical pilos and armed with sword and oval
shield. Pl. X.
ieee COlUrs” OF AMBRACIA 59
a. Berlin, grm. 8.33, 18 mm. (Fox).
b. Berlin, grm. 7.96, 19 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
c. Cambridge, grm. 8.28, 20 mm., Cat. McClean, 5104,
pl. 185, 9.
d. Vienna, grm. 8.06, 17x23 mm.
e. Vienna, grm. 8.34, 18 mm.
f. de Loye, Nimes, 18 mm.
g. Hoyt Miller, grm. 7.70, 17x21 mm. (coin pierced).
118 A 53. Same die.
P 80. Head of Athena r. wearing Corin-
thian helmet on which A, to r. a locust facing 1.
(apvow).74 Pl. XI.
a. eonaon, gra, &.36, 21:mm., B..M. Cat., 25.
b. Munich, grm. 8.16, 17x20 mm.
c. Egger, 1908, 499, grm. 8.45, 15x20 mm.
119 A 4&3. Same die.
P 81. Head of Athena r. wearing Corin-
thian helmet over neck-guard on which A; to l.
Gorgon’s head facing with protruding tongue,
disposed sideways, tongue towards the neck-
guard (et pl.. X1),.133). Pl. XI.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.25, 18 mm.
120 A 53. Same die. |
Pooeettiead of Athena r.+ in front. a
flying male figure (Eros?) is binding an olive-
wreath round helmet, on which A (cf. pl. XII,
129). Pl, XI.
a. The Hague, grm. 7.05, 18x21 mm. (Six).
b. Naville V, 1923, 2133, grm. 8.21, 20 mm.
60 THE “COLTS OF AME
c. W. Gedney Beatty Coll., ex Naville I, 1920 (Pozzi),
1750, and, Egger, 1908, 500, grm. 8.40, 16x21 mm.
d. J. Mavrogordato, grm. 8.09, 21 mm.
121 A 54. Similar Pegasos, but larger, flying
l. Head slightly bent, almost facing; archaic A
on hind-quarters. aS
P71. Same die as 106. Pl. XI.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.39, 20 mm.
b. Paris, grm. 8.40, 20 mm., Babelon Tr., t. IV, p. 130,
276," pl. CCLXXX, 16;
122 A 54. Same die.
P 83. WHead of Athena r. wearing neck-
guard under Corinthian helmet, on which A; tor.
TOPTO2. To 1. male, naked figure, wearing
conical pilos and supporting himself on long staff
in his |. hand) (Civ pix Paes
a. Hirsch XIII, 1905 (Rhousopoulos), 2356, grm. 8.31,
23 mm.
123 A d4. Same die.
P 78a. Same die as PF oie eee
116). The inscription APAT... over the
god’s head has been erased and replaced by
APAOQOOZ2 in front of Athena’s face. Pl. XI.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.35, 19 mm.
b. London, grm. 8.45, 20 mm., B. M. Cat., 28.
c. E. P. Robinson, Newport.
d. Hirsch, 1908, XXI (Consul Weber), 1832, grm.8. 13,
21 mm.
e. Ratto, 1909, 2287, grm. 8.50, 18 mm.
f. Sotheby, 1920, 57, 20 mm.
Dee Lt SY OF “AMBRACIA 61
124 Ad5d4. Same die.
P 84. AMIITPAKIQTAN around to 1.
Head of Athena |. as on die P 71, eye almost full-
face. Tor. youthful naked male figure, wearing
Corinthian helmet, standing |. with his r. hand
raised to his head, long curls falling over neck.
(Cf. 125f, the only specimen with the complete
figure.) @ Pl. XI.
ad. Berlin, grm. 7.53, 19 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
125 A 55. Similar Pegasos flying 1., but
smaller, head in profile and raised. Upper part
of the wing composed of five large feathers; on
hind-quarters, archaic A.
P 84. Same die. Pl. XI.
a. E.T. Newell, grm. 8.41, 20 mm., ex Egger, 1908, 495.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.34, 17x20 mm. (Lébbecke).
c¢. Copenhagen, grm. 8.16, 20 mm., Hirsch, 1909, XXV
(Philipsen), 1146.
dateongon, erm, 8.23, 21 mm., B: M. Cat., 6, pl:
Moy it, oe abelon ir,, t. IV, p. 130, 227, pl. CCLXXX,
17.73
e. O. Ravel, grm. 7.95, 20 mm.
f. Paris, 21x22 mm. (de Rothschild, 2686).
126 Ad5d5. Same die.
P 78a. Same die as 123. Pl. XI.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.34, 20 mm. (found near Catania),
Num. Chr., 1926, p. 4, pl. XX, 10.
b. Berlin, grm. 7.59 (worn), 20 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
c. Copenhagen, grm. 7.77 (worn), 18 mm,
62 THE “COLTS” OF Aaipeee
d. London, grm. 8.30, 20,mm:,-B: Ma Cat. 26, pi.
XXVIII,9. Babelon Tr., t. IV, p. 135, 293, pl. CCLXXXI,
15:
e. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.34, 20 mm., ex Sotheby, 1920,
57;
f. Cat. de Sartiges, 299, 19x22 mm,
g. Naville VI, 966 (Bement), grm. 8.34, 20 mm.
127--A’65. “Sameaie
P 83... Same die as 122.
a. Paris, grm. 8.45, 16x20 mm., Babelon Tr., t. IV, p.
1315-2813 CCL Xe Pl. XI.
128 A455. Same die.
P 85. Head of Athena r. similar to P 83
with A on the helmet, to |. youthful winged,
naked, male figure riding dolphin to r. his hands
clasped round left knee. Pl. XI.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.43, 16x20 mm., ex Hirsch
XXXI, 1912, 389.
129 A 65. Same die:
P 82. Same die as 120.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.48, 20x23 mm., ex Hirsch XXX,
1911, 527, and Ratto, 1912, 692. “Num. Chi 1726555,
Si2plakox, 11; Pl. XI.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.09, 18 mm. (Lébbecke).
c. Copenhagen, grm. 7.97 (Worn), 17 mm.
d. London, grm. 8.36, 18x21 mm., B. M. Cat., 26,
pl. XXVIII, 7. Babelon Trt. Vi pe aod eee
GCIEXEM Ie 83, | Pl. XII.
e. The Hague, grm. 7.05 (very worn), Six.
f. G. Empedocles, grm. 8.33, 20 mm.
eee COV ro: OF AMBRACIA 63
130 A455. Same die.
P 80. Same die as 118. Pl. XII.
a. London, grm. 8.45, 18x22 mm., B. M. Cat., 24,
Piste. = Babelon: Tr., t: IV, p.. 135, 290, pl.
CCLXXXI, 12.%
b. Munich, grm. 8.16, 21 mm.
c. Hirsch XXV, 1909 (Philipsen), 1150, grm. 8.07,
20 mm.
d. Sotheby, 1921, 20 mm.
131 A545’ Same die.
Peg aoame die'as 119. Pl. XII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.36, 20 mm. (Lébbecke).
132° .A 55:) Same die.
P79. Same die as 117. — Pl. XID.”
a. QO. Ravel, grm. 8.36, 18 mm., Num. Chr., 1926, p.
Si 2p Lag Ds hey bes
b. Copenhagen, grm. 7.10 (very worn), 18 mm., ex
Hirsch, XXXIV, 1914, 410.
133 A 56. Similar Pegasos, flying r., on hind-
quarters A.
P 81. Same die as 119. Pl. XII.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.41, 18 mm.
b. Naville, 1920 (Pozzi), 1783, ex Hirsch XXXI, 1912,
393, grm. 8.35, 19 mm.
134 A956. Same die.
P79, *Same-die.as 117. Pl. XII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.09, 17 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
64 THE “COLTS” OF VASE RAGA
V PERIOD, FROM 360 To 338 B.C.
Group A
135 A 57. Pegasos with curled wing walking
r. on exergual line. Above the line and beneath
the body of Pegasos, A.
P 86. Head of Athena |. wearing neck-
guard and Corinthian Helmet; above to |., archaic
A. Tor., naked male figure, wearing conical pilos,
‘seated slightly towards |. on rocks, his r. hand
raised, his l. resting on rocks and holding small
staff. To 1. under the goddess’ chin a serpent
coiled round a land-tortoise (Chelonia Greca) and
striking at it. Pl, XII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.41, 18 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
b. Vienna, grm. 8.90, 17x20 mm.
c. London, grm. 8.16, 19° ami oe
pl. XXVIII, 14. Babelon Tr., t. IV, p. 134, 284, pl.
CCLXXXT, 6;
d. London, grm. 8.36, 18x22 mm., B. M. Cat., 36.
e. Paris, grm. 8.37,89 22 mm. ;
f. P. Mathey, Paris, grm. 8.77, 20 mm., ex Egger,
1906, 349.
Dr. Petzalis, Athens, 19x23 mm.
Hoyt Miller, grm., 18 mm.
O. Ravel, grm. 8.15, 21 mm.
Cat. de Sartiges, pl. XVII, 301, 20 mm.
Santamaria, 1910 (Hartwig), 785, 20 mm.
l. Sotheby, 1909 (Benson), 487, grm. 8.36,79 21 mm.
m. Dr. E. P. Robinson, Newport, ex Sotheby, 1920,
59, 19 mm.
n. Hirsch XXX, 1911 (Barron), 529, grm. 8.45, 21 mm.
o. Hess, 1926 (Lébbecke), 271, grm. 8.50, 21 mm.
Saree aa
Brie COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 65
136 A457. Samedie. Small flaw on exergual
line.
ioo7. similar head-\.- to l. under chin
archaic A, to r., infant Iacchos, squatting, his r.
hand raised. Pl, XII.
a. London, grm. 8.49, 19 mm., B. M. Cat., 34, pl:
XAVII, 13;
b. Berlin, grm. 8.49, 19 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
c. Berlin, grm. 8.35, 17x21 mm. (Loébbecke).
d. Cambridge, grm. 8.13, 18x21 mm., McClean, 5099,
pl. 185, 4.
e. Cambridge, grm. 8.20, 17x20 mm., McClean, 5100
pl. 185, 5, from the Sotheby’s sale, 1909 (Benson), 486.
f. Milan, 18x23 mm.
Gamer ats. orm, 6:45,-19x22 mm., Babelon Tr., t. IV,
Disteesos Dine CCLX XX, '5.
h. E. T. Newell, grm. 7.95, 17x22 mm.
7. O. Ravel, grm. 8.55, 18x22 mm.
j. Hess, 1926 (Lébbecke), 270, grm. 7.90, 21 mm.
k. Hoyt Miller.
l. S. P. Noe, grm. 8.24.
137 A 57. Same die, larger flaw.
P 88. Similar head |. but larger; to r.
head of Achelous facing. Pl. XII.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.30, 20x23 mm.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.38, 21 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
c. Berlin, grm. 8.51, 20 mm., from the Dodona find.
d. Cambridge, grm. 8.17, 18 mm. McClean, 5098, pl.
185, 4.
Gan London,-orm. $.37,°21x23 mm., B. M. Cat., 19, pl.
Fo Ado LeDls 26L Ie
f. Paris, grm. 8.40, 20 mm., Babelon Tr., t. IV, p. 134,
286, pl. CCLXXXT, 8.
66 THE “COLTS ™ OF FAMBRACIA
Palermo, grm. 8.19, 20 mm.
Vienna, grm. 8.48, 20 mm.
G. Empedocles, grm. 8.46, 20 mm.
O. Ravel, grm. 8.00, 20 mm.
Hirsch XX XI, 1912, 385, grm. 8.35, 19 mm.
Comte Chandon de Briailles, grm. 8.36, 20 mm.
MS Bos
138 A 57. Same die, flaw larger.
P 89. Same head; tor. Head of Ache-
lous in profile to r. Pl. XI.
a. Athens, grm. 8.35, 20x24 mm.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.33, 18 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
c. Paris, grm. 8.45, 21 mm., Babelon Tr., t. IV, p. 134,
285, pl. COLAO La
d. Hoyt Miller, grm., 20 mm,
e. O. Ravel, grm. 8.30, 18 mm.
f. Hirsch XXV, 1909 (Philipsen), 1149, grm. 8.40, 21
mm.
g. Sotheby, 1921, 245, 19 mm.
139 A58. Pegasos, with head slightly bent
and straight wing, flying r.; beneath, A. Three
rows of feathers, fourth feather half the length
of the third.
P90. Head of Athena r. similar to
previous ones; to l. copy of a statue of Zeus
striding r., hurling thunderbolt, left arm out-
stretched. Pl. XIII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.37, 22 mm. (Lébbecke).
b. London, grm. 8.44, 20 mm., B. M. Cat., 33, pl.
AXVITI, 12... Babelon’ Tr., & EVeetpe eG, ees
CCLAXXL.-1LE
c. Munich, grm. 7.45, 22 mm.
d. Vienna, grm. 8.44, 20 mm.
iia COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 67
140 A58. Same die.
P 91. Probably same die as previous.
Over Zeus has been added A, and under neck
truncation, a dolphin to l. Pl. XIII.
Berlin, grm. 8.55, 19x21 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
Berlin, grm. 8.37, 18x22 mm. (L6bbecke).
Vienna, grm. 8.45, 20 mm.
Count de Brandis, Venice, grm. 7.50 (worn), 18 mm.
Egger, 1906, 351, grm. 8.79, 19 mm.
sao oe
141 A58. Same die.
P92, Similar head of Athena, but. r.;
to r. large cicada. Pl. XIII.
Poe ondon.serpi. 6.49, 20x23 mm., B:. M. Cat., 23,
pl. XXVIII, 5.
b. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.46, 20 mm.
142. A258: Same. die.
ies, Same-die as 137. Pl. XIII.
Vienna, grm. 8.13, 20 mm.
Berlin, grm. 8.33, 22 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
Berlin, grm. 8.35, 20 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
PeOnUON, iin, 6.05, 20 mm., B. M. Cat, 20, pl.
Mew TIT, 2.
e. O. Ravel, grm. 8.40, 20 mm.
f. Hirsch XXXI, 1912, 286, grm. 8.75, 20 mm.
RX SS
143. A 58. Same die.
P 89. Same die as,138. Pl. XIII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.29, 18 X 21 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
by 1; Ravel, crm. 8.15, 20 mm.
68 THE “COLTS.” OF AMBRAG ES
144 A59. Similar Pegasos, smaller, wing
composed cf only two rows of small feathers;
beneath, A.
P 93. , Head of Athena 1|.; to r. NI and
dove flying to r. Pl. XIII.
a. Cambridge, grm. 8.28, 18 mm., McClean, 5114,
pl. 185, 19.
Group B
145 A60. Pegasos unbridled. flying r. Head
slightly bent, wing similar to A 58. Beneath,
running chimaera, to r.
P 94. Head of Athena r. similar to P 90
only larger, to |. large A. Pl. XIII.
a. Sir C. W. C. Oman, Oxford, 19x21 mm.
146 A 61. Similar Pegasos, standing r. with
l. fore-leg bent; beneath, a naked, male figure
(Bellerophon) in squatting attitude sitting on his
left heel and examining Pegasos 1. hoof.
P 94. Same die. Pl. XIII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.63, 21 mm. (Lébbecke).
b. Berlin, grm. 8.40, 18 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
c. Cambridge, grm. 8.37, 21 mm., McClean, 5110, pl.
135,45,
d. Naples hoard, 43, 21 mm.
e. Paris, grm. 8.50, Babelon, 20x25 mm., op. c., p. 139,
310, pl. CCX XXII, 7.8
f. Vienna, grm. 7.50, 21 mm.§
g. Jameson, Paris., 1116, ex Egger, 1906, 350, grm. 8.54,
19 mm.
h. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.07, 20 mm., ex Hirsch
XXXIV, 414.
fie GOLTS” OF AMBRACIA 69
147 A611. Same die.
P 95. Similar head to that on die P 94.
helmet larger but small for the head; curls round
neck-guard.larger. Tol., A. Pl. XIII.
a. Paris, grm. 22 mm., J. Babelon, Coll. de Luynes,
1889, pl. LXXI.
Dee oudon,. ett. 6:50, 18°mm., B. M. Cat.,..57, pl.
ie
c. Munich, grm. 8.23, 21 mm., ex Hirsch XXV, 1909,
1154.
a. ok. ff. Hart, Blackburn, grm. 8.49, 20 mm. (Cat.
Sotheby, 1920, 60).
e. ET. Newell, grm. 8.53, 21 mm.
f. O. Ravel, grm. 8.52, 19x22 mm., ex Naville XII,
1926, 1319.
148 A62. Pegasos flying r. similar to die
A 59. Wing composed of two rows of feathers,
the tips slightly bent upwards. Body longer;
beneath A.
P96. Head of Athena r. but smaller;
over neck-guard to I|., dove flying 1. Pl, XIII.
@. Loudon, grm. $8.58, 20x25 mm., B. M. Cat., 13, pl.
VLE 10:
b. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.57, 17x24 mm.
149 A63. Similar Pegasos, head less bent,
one feather of second wing visible; first four
feathers almost of the same length; beneath, A.
P 96. Same die. Pl. XIV.
gu.) Ravel, erm. 8.72, 19x21 mm., ex Ratto, 1927,
1097, pl. XX XI.
70 THE * COLTS” OF AMERAGE
b. Copenhagen, grm. 8.42, 17x25 mm.
c. Hoyt Miller, grm. 8.57, 17x22 mm.
d. Commerce, Marseilles, grm. 8.29, 18x22 mm., ex
Cat. Naville XII, 1926, 1313.
150 A63. Same die.
P97. Revival of die P85. Athena’s
head larger, the A is not on the helmet, but be-
neath truncation of neck. To 1. youthful winged
male figure riding dolphin to r., his hands clasped
round |. knee. Dolphin larger and tail bent up-
wards. Pl. XIV.
a. London, grm. 8.23, 21x25 mm., B. Mo Cat. 30, o.
XXVIII, 10. Babelon, op.cit. 135, 294, pl. CCLXXXI,
16.
b. Berlin, grm. 844 21 mm. (Lébbecke).
c. Cat. de Sartiges, 300, pl. XVII, 22x24 mm.
151 A638. Same die.
P 98. Small Athena’s head r. similar to
P 96. To 1. coiled serpent raising its head.
Pl. XIV.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.62, 20 mm., ex Pozzi, Naville
I, 1920, 1747, and Egger, 1908, 507.
b. Berlin, grm. 6.93, 21 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer) (not
plated) .%
152 AG64. Pegasos flying r., head almost
facing, second wing visible; beneath, large archaic
A.
Pais Cie SOR AMBRACIA va
P99. Same ‘head of Athena r., to 1.
large archaic A. Pl. XIV.
a. QO. Ravel, grm. 8.45, 21 mm., Hirsch XXX, 1911,
534,
b. London, grm. 8.30, B. M. Cat., 56, 19 mm.
c. Naples hoard, 35, 18 mm.
153 AGS. Similar to 152, but A larger and
differently placed.
P 100. Similar head r., face longer;
without A. Pl. XIV.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.26, 20 mm.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.45, 16x18 mm. (Lébbecke).
c. O. Ravel, grm. 8.42, 21 mm.
154 A65. Same die.
P 101. Similar head r.; to 1., dolphin
downwards. Pl. XIV.
a. Palermo, 20 mm., grm. 8.20, 1526.
155 A66. Similar Pegasos r., but head in
profile, second wing not visible; beneath, A.
P 100. Same die as 153. Pl. XIV.
er Berlin, grm. 8.35, 18x21 mm.
156 A6?. Similar Pegasos, A_ differently
placed.
P 100. Same die. Pl. XIV.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.48, 17x20 mm.
a THE “COLTS” (Of AM bees
157 A68. Similar Pegasos flying r., head
smaller and slightly bent, fore legs bent; beneath,
A,
P 101. Same die as 154. Pl. XIV.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.48, 20 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
158 A69. Small short Pegasos, flying r.;
wing very small, neck short. Beneath, A.
P 102. Same head, from the same hub
as P 101;'to. 1, ‘shrinn Pl. XIV.
a. Munich, grm. 8.82, 20 mm. (Egger, 1908, 503).
b. Paris, grm. 8.40; 17° mm., Babelon, “op:cit. 55,
Leucas, 74, pl. CCLXXIII, 14.84
c. Vienna, grm. 8.60, 18 mm,
159 A70. Similar Pegasos, wing parallel
to the body, tail small and close to hind- quarters;
beneath, large A.
P 99. Same die as 152. Pl. XIV.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.52, 19 mm.
Group C
160 A711. Small Pegasos flying 1.; beneath,
A. Edge of the wing slightly curled upwards.
P 103. AMII; head of Athena to L.,
wearing Corinthian helmet over neck-guard, and
round her throat necklace of larger beads; to r.,
thunderbolt with wings, the 1. one over-lapping the
central dart to r., as on coins of Olympia (Seltman
166). PLOALY,
a. Vienna, grm. 8.52, 17 mm.
pee COLTS: OF AMBRACIA 73
161 A771. Same die.
P 104. Better head of Athenar., without
necklace; to l. eagle with spread wings standing
on ram’s head, as on coins of Olympia (Seltman,
320) 8? Pl. XV.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.59, 17 mm., ex Naville XII, 1926,
1320.
b. The Hague, grm. 8.55, 17 mm. (Six),®° Babelon,
OD: Cite fer 26, 7273;
c. Berlin, grm. 8.33, 18 mm., (Prokesch-Osten).
162. A71. Same die.
P 105. Head of Athena similar to pre-
ceding, but I.; to r., eagle with spread wings hold-
ing serpent inits beak. This symbol, too, is taken
from coins of Olympia (Seltman N. 123). Pl. XV.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.05, 17 mm., ex Canessa Sale,
1922, 44/,.Num. Chr., 1926, r: 4, pl. XX, 15.
b. Naville I, 1920 (Pozzi), 1749, grm. 8.60, 17 mm.,
and Egger, 1908, 506.
c. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.42.
163 A711. Same die.
P 106. Head almost identical to that of
Athena on P 103. Around the throat of the
goddess, necklace of large beads; to r., eagle very
erect to r., as on coins of Olympia. (Seltman
3127) Pl. XV.
a. Cambridge, grm. 8.21, 18 mm., McClean, 5116, pl.
186, 1.
b. Naville I, 1920 (Pozzi), 1679, grm. 8.50, 19 mm.,
and Egger, 1906, 289.
74 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
164 A72. Similar Pegasos, |., slightly larger;
beneath, A, differently placed.
P 107. Head cf ‘Athena 1. wearing
Corinthian helmet with crest and neck-guard, no
necklace; to r., spear. Pl. XV.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.25, 18 mm.
b. R. Jameson, grm. 8:52)" 26x21) Sinn, eso
LVII, ex Sotheby, 1909 (Benson), 490. Babelon, op.cit.
126,270, pli CCL Ata
c. Hirsch XIV, 1905, 424, grm. 8.20, 19 mm,
165 >A 72: Same die.
P 106. Same die as 163: Pl. XV.
a. Palermo, grm. 8.38, 18 mm., hoard, 983.
166 A722. Same die.
P 105. Same die as 162. Pl. XV.
a. Cambridge, grm. 8.38, 15x17 mm., McClean, 5117,
pl. 186, 2.87 2
167 A773. Bridled Pegasos flying |. Head
large and bent, same wing as previously. Be-
neath, large A.
P 108. Similar head of Athena l., as on
P 107 but larger; to r., spear-head. Pl. XV.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.80, 18 mm., ex Hirsch XXX, 531.
b. London, grm. 8.27, 20°mim., BoM, Caty 22.01,
D2 DG F
c. Naples hoard, 37, 20 mm.
eee Os OF AMBRACIA 75
168 A744. Pegasos unbridled flying I. head
raised; beneath, A.
109, -Similar head of Athena 1.,.but
larger, wearing crested helmet. PLAXVs
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.37, 18 mm.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.50, 20 mm. (Lébbecke).
c. Berlin, grm. 8.53, 20 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
d. London, grm. 8.50, 22 mm., B. M. Cat., 43.
e. Paris, grm. 8.50, 18 mm., J. Babelon, Cat. de Luynes,
1888, pl. CX XI.
f. Naples hoard, 38, 20 mm.
g. G. Empedocles, grm. 8.54, 18 mm.
h. Hirsch, XIII, 1905 (Rhousopoulos), 2352, grm.
8.27, 20 mm.
4. Naville I, 1920 (Pozzi),’1751, grm. 8.56, 18 mm.
j. Col. Godefroy, Paris, ex Naville XII, 1926, 1317,
grm. 8.28, 20 mm.
169 A75. Similar Pegasos 1., head less
raised, same wing; beneath, A.
P 110. Similar head with slightly dif-
ferent profile, tail of the crest less wavy and
longer; between crest and helmet a line of dots.
To r., spear, point upwards. Pl. XV.
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.53, 19 mm.
b. Copenhagen, grm. 8.48, 21 mm.
c. O. Ravel, grm. 8.50, 20 mm.
Group D
170 A776. Pegasos, unbridled, flying r.
Body very fat, head bent and exceptionally small,
76 THE “COLTS” OF AMpRAGs
large wide wing, with edge curled slightly up-
wards; beneath, A. Flaw between tail and wing.
P 111. Head of Athena r., wearing
Corinthian helmet without crest and neck-guard;
to 1., thymiaterion. Pl. XV.
a. London, grm. 8.44, 19 mm., B. M. Cat., 54, pl.
XXIX, 9. Babelon, op. cit., p. 139, 305, pl. CCX XXII, 4.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.17, 22 mm. (Lébbecke).
c. The Hague, grm. 8.50, 20 mm. (Six).
d. Turin, 20 mm.
e. Empedocles, Athens, 20 mm,
f. Commerce, Naples, 20x23 mm,
g. O. Ravel, grm. 8.50, 20x22 mm.
171 A76. Same die, flaw larger.
P 112. Similar but face shorter, to 1.,
thymiaterion. Pl. XV.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.34, 20 mm. (Prokesch-Osten).
b. O. Ravel, grm. 8.32, 20 mm.
172 A776. Same die, fracture larger.
P 113. Similar head of Athena I1., chin
larger; to r., kylix. Pl. XV.
a. G. Empedocles, grm. 8.20, 19 mm,
173 A776. Same die, fracture covers almost
all the |. upper part of the coin.
P 114. Same die as previously, but
above the kylix has been engraved a bunch of
grapes. Pl. XVI.
a. Hoyt Miller, grm. 8.48, 18x20 mm,
b. O. Ravel, grm. 8.51, 20 mm.
c. Berlin, grm. 8.50, 20 mm. (Lébbecke).
tee COL s OF AMBRACIA V4
174 A77. Pegasos flying r., smaller and
better proportioned; beneath, A. Edge of the
wing nearly perpendicular.
P 115. Very similar to P 114; the hel-
met is drawn over the goddess’ eye, curls vary
in number and shape. PEESVI:
a. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.39, 18x21 mm.
b. Paris, ‘‘Uncertain mints,’ 1098, 19 mm.
c. The Hague, grm. 8.10, 18 mm.
ad London, prim. $49, 18 mm.,; B. M.° Cat., 38, pl.
Aoi ti Ore isa beat tr. t. LV, - p.'-138, 300, » pl.
CCLXXXI, 21.88
e. Sotheby, 1920, 59, 20 mm.
175 A77. Same die, small flaw near r. hind
leg.
P 116. Very similar to P 114 and P 115;
the number and shape of the curls different.
Pl. XVI.
a. Dr. E. P. Robinson, Newport.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.59, 20 mm. (Fox).
176 A/77. Same die, flaw larger.
Fat? read of ‘Athena r., sintilar to
P 112; to 1l., branch of thistle with flower.®®
Pl. XVI.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.40, 18 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).
b= ongon, 2rm.- 3.60, 18x23°> mm., B..M. Cat.,..55,
pl. XXIX,10. Babelon, op.cit., 139, 306, pl. CCLXXXII,
5,90
6
78 THE “ COLTS” OF AMEEAG
177 A777. Same die, flaw larger.
P 118. Similar head of Athena r.; to 1.
obelisk of Ambracia with Delphic fillet hanging
to l. Pl. XVI.
a. Paris, grm. 8.56, 18x20 mm., Babelon, op.cit.,
138; 302 7pl: CCE XX Gia
b. Munich, grm. 7.50 (worn), 19 mm.
c. O. Ravel, grm. 8.32, 19 mm.
d. Naville V, 1923, 2135, grm. 8.32, 19 mm.
178 A77. Same die, same flaw.
P 119. Same types, the base of the
obelisk is larger. Pl, XVI.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.49, 872, 17x20 mm.
b. Hoyt Miller, grm. 8.33, 19 mm.
c. Hirsch XXXI, 1912, 392, grm. 8.46, 22 mm.
179 A7?7. Same die, same flaw.
P 120. Similar head r. Long tight curls
all round the neck-guard, tol., & tor. Obelisk of
Ambracia with Delphic fillet passing behind it,
from r. tol. Pl. XVI.
a. Vienna, grm. 8.50, 18 mm.
b. Cambridge, grm. 8.43, 18x22 mm., McClean, 5108,
pl. 185,13.
Paris, 20' mm.
The Hague, grm. 8.55, 19x21 mm., (Six coll.).
E. T. Newell, grm. 8.41, 21 mm.
Sotheby, 1920, 54, 20 mm.
Ws as
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 79
180 A/77. Same die, flaw larger.
Paci. Similar head r. but with only a
few long curls coming from beneath the neck-
guard; tor. A, tol. obelisk similar to that of 179.
Pl. XVI.
a. Vienna, grm. 8.47, 17x20 mm.
0. .oncon, gtm. 8.56, 19 mm., B. M. Cat., 50, pl.
XXIX, 6.
c. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.45, 19 mm.
181 A77. Same die, flaw larger.
__P 122. Similar head |. with long neck.
to r., dove r., to l., over helmet NIKOZOE...
(probably NIKOZOENHY2). Pl. XVI.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.30, 20 mm.
b. Berlin, grm. 8.50, 21 mm. (Imhoof-Blumer).%
Go London, grim, 3.43, 20 mm., B. M. Cat., 16, pl.
oy iis. Bapelon; p. 131, 280, pl. CCLXXXI, 1.
182 A/78. Pegasos with head less bent,
wing raised, beneath, AM.
P 128. Larger head of Athena r. of
better style; to 1. female locust to r.
a. Paris, ‘Uncertain mints,’ 1112, 20 mm.
183 A78&. Same die.
7 ee. ANTHPA,’ head of “Athena of
coarse style l., to r., spear-head, point to r.
Pl. XVI.
a. G. Empedocles, grm. 8.38, 18 mm.
Pee iconcon, cima. 8,15, 20 mm, B: M. :Cat. 9, pl.
XXVII, 8. Babelon, p. 130, 278.
Cone. 1. Newell, erm. 8.32, 20 mm.
80 THE “COLTS” OF AMBERACIA
184 A/78. Same die.
P 125. . Small head of Athena ts) a Tr
ear of grain standing vertically. PI. XVI:
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.30, 19 mm.
185 A79. Similar Pegasos flying r., short
body, wing almost vertical, large head, tail very
long; beneath, A.
P 126. Head of Athena l.; to r., obelisk
of Ambracia with fillet hanging tor. Pl. XVII.
a. London, grm. 7.95, 20 mm.
Uncertain Mints
186 A 80. Pegasos unbridled with pointed
wing, flying left. Wing composed of two rows
of small feathers and a row of long feathers quite
straight, second wing visible.
P 127. Head of Athena 1. wearing
Corinthian helmet with very large bowl: to r.,
palmette; to l., in front of the helmet, A. Flat
coarse style. Pl. XVII.
a. Hoyt Miller, 812, 21 mm.
b. Vienna, grm. 8.40, 17x22 mm,
c. Copenhagen, grm. 8.29, 17 mm.
d. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.66, 20 mm.
e. Palermo, grm. 8.40, 18 mm.
f. O. Ravel, grm. 8.50, 19 mm.
187 A 8&0. Same die.
P 128. Similar to above but type to r.
to l. small palmette, tor. A. Pl. XVII.
— er
CCC ee
(iteeoecOU lo’ OF AMBRACIA 81
a. Hoyt Miller, grm. 8.36, 20 mm.
b. Berlin (Hermann), grm. 8.62, 20 mm.
c. Berlin (Imhoof-Blumer), grm. 8.15, 19 mm.
d. Cambridge, grm. 8.59, 17 mm., McClean, 5103, pl.
185, 8.
e. Paris, grm. 8.66, 18 mm.
. The Hague, grm. 8.56, 17 mm. (Six).
PA havel STI. .o-05,/20 mm.
h. Vienna, grm. 8.62, 19 mm.
i. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.66, 20x18 mm.
~
f
t
188 A 80. Same die.
P 129. Similar to previous, to r. in front
of the Athena’s head, two parallel lines. (Prob-
ably die flaws?) | Pl. XVII.
a. O. Ravel, grm. 8.50, 19 mm.
189 A 81. Pegasos to 1., beneath, A.
P 180. Head of Athena to r. wearing
Corinthian helmet bound with olive-wreath, over
very small neck-guard, from which hair escapes in
long loose locks visible on both sides of the neck.
To r., over the helmet, lyre (chelys).
magoneawiies!, 1920 (Pozzi),.1752, grm. .8.13, 20 mm.
(ex Hirsch XX XI, 374—Apollonia).
190 A822. Pegasos with pointed wing,
slightly curled upwards, flying r., head very small
beneath, A.
P 180. Same die. Pl. XVII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.36, 22 mm. (Lébbecke).
b. E. T. Newell, grm. 8.38, 19x23 mm.
82 THE “COLTS” OF Aap
191 A 83. Similar Pegasos flying r. Be-
neath, A. .
P 181. Head of Athena |. wearing neck-
lace. Fine style but very flat. Tor. ear of corn.
Pl. XVII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.58, 22 mm., 339,
b. London, grm. 8.42, -20¢mm., B. M. Cat, 62, pl
XANES:
c. O. Ravel, grm. 8.53, 21 mm.
192 A 8&3. Same die.
P 182. Similar type, but to r. ear of
corn placed horizontally. Pl. XVII.
a. Berlin, grm. 8.22, 23 mm. (Lébbecke).
b. Sotheby, 1920, 61, 23 mm.
COMMENT ON THE TYPES AND
THE SEQUENCE OF DIES
I PERIOD, FROM 480 To 456
Although the coins of this period, like the
corresponding archaic coins of Corinth, are rare,
it will be observed that those here described are
very few for so long a time as 24 years. To
explain this anomaly we have to consider that
before 480 B.C., the normal currency of Ambracia
was represented by the Corinthian staters, prob-
ably those with the incuse patterns on the
reverses. The first autonomous coins with the
ie COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 83
civic initial of Ambracia must have been very
few, and, at the beginning, just as a kind of sup-
plementary currency, while the coins of Corinth
were still the principal ones.
Several coins of Corinth have beneath the
Pegasos an archaic form of koppa, 9, that re-
sembles a @. The tail of the letter instead of
beginning from below the O, begins from the
upper part and crosses it.” This peculiar letter
was taken by Babelon for a ¢, and he attributed
the coin 1138 in the Jameson collection to Phytia.”
In the writer’s collection, there are two Corinthian
staters with the same 9 on the obverse, coupled
with common Corinthian reverses, like Bement
1155.9% All these coins are certainly of Corinth.
Jameson’s coin, from the same die-combination
as another specimen in the writer’s collection
(XIX, 1) 4 has the reverse from the same die as
the Ambracian staters 10 and 11 (PI.1). Further-
more, in Mr. E. T. Newell’s cabinet there is
another coin attributed to Ambracia,®® the @
being ‘‘off flan’”’ (Pl. XIX, 2), having the obverse
from the same die as that mentioned above, but
coupled with the other Ambracian obverse die as
8 and 9 (Pl. I). These three Corinthian coins
prove that dies P 5 and P 6 were employed at the
same time for Corinthian and Ambracian coins,
and therefore we are entitled to conclude that all
these coins, come from the same mint and that
they were no doubt coined at Corinth.
84 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRAG
E. Curtius in his ‘‘Studien zur Geschichte von
Korinth’’ % says that Corinth struck the coins
for her colonies at first, but this statement was
only conjectural, as he had no ground to support
it other than the general likeness of the archaic
colonial issues. The above mentioned case seems
to confirm his surmise, at least for Ambracia. A
close examination of the archaic dies of Corinth
and her colonies would probably show that all the
archaic colts were struck at Corinth. They look
so much alike that if it were not for the civic
initials, they could hardly be distinguished one
from the other.
We know seventeen Ambracian staters with the
reverse from dies P 5 and P 6 and only six Corin-
thian specimens with the reverse from the same
dies; this seems to indicate that these two reverse
dies were really made for Ambracia and only
occasionally employed for Corinth.
Probably after the Persian war, to reward the
colonies that helped her, Corinth authorized them
to have their own currency, but either because
she still wanted to have control of the finances of
these colonies or because they had not yet
organized mints of their own, it was the mother-
city that struck the coins for them.
The Pegasos on all the archaic staters is an
extraordinary one. The wing is curled and cer-
tainly ill adapted for flying, the head is big and
very long, and the legs are short. The reverses,
SE EN EE ae a a
Meee it~ OF AMBRACIA 85
on the contrary, show beautiful archaic heads of
Athena.
It is incomprehensible that the same artist who
engraved the lovely reverses, could make so bad
a Pegasos. Sir Charles Oman supposes that
this ugly beast was made like that for a set pur-
pose,*’? and that it was probably copied from a
well known archaic statue of Pegasos. This
ingenious hypothesis would fully explain the above
mentioned difference in style of the two sides of
these early colts.
In all Greek series, the number of the known
reverses is always much greater than that of the
obverses, and this is understandable as the ob-
verses were fixed to the anvil, while the reverses
were used as a punch and received the blow.”
Therefore this side wore out sooner and had to be
changed more frequently than the other. In
this period, on the contrary, we find a very
puzzling peculiarity; we know 9 obverses and
only 6 reverses. As the deep incuse square leaves
no doubt that the Athena type is really the
reverse, the reason for this abnormal proportion
of dies escapes us.
The only hypothesis that could explain it is
that for some special reason that we cannot guess,
the surviving coins of this period are fewer than
in the other series, and we may suppose that a
great many other reverses existed which may turn
up some day.
86 THE “COLTS” OF Aa
Group A
This group is characterized by having no
symbols. Coins 1 and 2 have a lovely archaic
head of Athena with the distinctive ‘archaic
smile.’ Although these heads are a little flat,
they are of the best archaic style.
The following coins, 3 to 7 (Pl. I), show a more
advanced reverse. We no longer find the ‘archaic
smile’’; the relief is higher and the necklace is of
_ beads, while before it was only a kind of ribbon.
All the obverses of this group are very similar,
only the position of the A beneath the Pegasos
and other very slight details change from one
die to the other. They all look as if they had
been made from the same hub.
Group B
The obverses of coins 8 to 11 show a better
proportioned Pegasos and although the general
appearance is always kept close to the typical
early parasemon of Corinth, the style is better and
more in accordance with Athena’s head of the
reverses. |
In this group we see for the first time a symbol.
To the left of Athena’s head there is an ivy-
branch. This has a decorative effect and relieves
the bareness of the field; evidently its only object
is to embellish.
The style of these reverses (P 5 and P 6) is
pee COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 87
exceedingly good, and they are among the best
examples of the early Fifth Century art. A
peculiarity of these reverses is the earring worn by
the goddess, which resembles a bunch of grapes.
On several Corinthian staters, of more advanced
style, we find a somewhat similar earring.”
As said before, dies P 5 and P 6 are found
curiously coupled with Corinthian obverses; on
these Pegasos is flying to left—on the Ambracian
obverses he is flying to right. This difference
was probably necessary in the mint, in order to
recognize easily the dies of the colony from those
of the mother-country.
II PERIOD, FROM 456 To 426 B.C.
The archaic coinage of Ambracia is generally
attributed to the period between the Persian war
(480 B.C.) and the end of the war of Corinth
against Corcyra (432 B.C.). Head and Babelon
both give these dates, but Prof. P. Gardner holds
that Head’s dates are too late.%* He assumes
that these early issues should be dated from 520
to 480 B.C. He supposes there was a great break
in the coinage of Ambracia and that between 480
and 425 there were no coins at this mint, which
did not again begin to strike pegasi, until after
the disaster of Olpai.
If we examine the two series of Corinth and
Ambracia, we find in the present period a striking
peculiarity; almost all the first Corinthian pegasi
88 THE “COLTS” OF ASTRA
after the archaic period have corresponding Am-
bracian coins, and the likeness is so great that one
is tempted to suppose that the same die-cutters
worked for the two mints. The two series are
closely parallel, and there is no reason to suppose
there was any pause in the coining of Ambracia,
if this is not found in Corinth.
On the other hand, if during 55 years there were
no colts struck in Ambracia, why should we find a
coin (Pl. II, 21) muling a reverse of the first period
and a reverse of the second? The reverse belongs
to the middle of the first period. According to
Mr. Gardner’s dating, it should be dated about
500 B.C. while the obverse, which is not one of
the first of this period, should be assigned to about
400-410 B.C. Therefore, if these dates were
correct, die A 4 would have been in operation for
at least 90 years. But if we take 480 B.C. as the
date of the beginning of the Ambracian coinage
and 456 B.C. for the beginning of the second
period, this muling is easier to understand.
The fixing of 456 B.C. for the beginning of this
period is suggested by our explanation of the
symbol found on the obverses following the
archaic colts (cf. p. 91); but even if this symbol
does not mean what we suggest, we think that
this date may be considered as exact.
Gardner’s and Head’s dates make the transi-
tional style begin at 425 or 432 B.C.; this is
certainly too late, if we consider the other branches
of Greek art.
Pies COhie, OF AMBRACIA 89
The end of this period is 426 B.C.—the date
of the Olpai disaster; from then on, Ambracia is
more nearly independent of Corinth, and we no
longer find such strikingly similar coins in the two
series.
Group A
In this first group the Pegasos is of a new de-
sign. The wing is still curled, but the shape quite
different, and, artistically, it is even poorer than
the foregoing; but owing to the wings being still
curled, it is very likely that this new type of
flying-horse is the successor of the archaic one.
This issue marks a new epoch in the coinage of
Ambracia and’ may correspond to the fall of
Aegina.
As we have already remarked, we find in this
group coins that are very like some Corinthian
staters; probably at this time the same die-
cutters worked in the two mints. This would ex-
plain the great similarity of style, design and
fabric that we find on these first obverses and on
those of Corinth with the murex-shell beneath
the Pegasos.!°° Both issues have exactly the same
Pegasos with the civic initials 9 or A under its
neck. Generally these are found beneath the
body of Pegasos, but on these coins in their place
is a symbol—on the Corinthian a murex-shell, and
on the Ambracian a complicated symbol that has
been hitherto differently interpreted. Owing to
go THE.“ COLTS” OF AMipkaaas
the poor specimens in the British Museum, Head
could not see what it really was. Describing one
coin, he calls it a “rose-bud”’ and another 1
a ‘“‘pellet.””. Imhoof-Blumer, describing his fine
specimen, now in Berlin (12a, Pl. I), explains it as
‘‘a serpent over a land-tortoise.” Babelon in
the posthumous portion of his Traité,4 was the
first to see what it really was, viz. ‘a serpent
fighting with a land-tortoise’’; but on another
coin with the same symbol, he saw only “a
coquillage’’ (a shell).48
What the symbol represents is a serpent coiled
round a land-tortoise (Chelonia Greca) and
striking at it. This very interesting symbol,
found later, but enlarged, on a beautiful stater of
Period III, 135, Pl. XII, is too elaborate not to
have a special meaning. Evidently it is an
historical allusion to some well known struggle,
and probably the animals symbolize the fighters.!°
We know that the staters of Aegina were ac-
cepted universally and because of their constant
type, theturtle, were commonly called the “‘turtles”’
(xeA@var),!°§ in the same way as the Corinthian
staters were called the ‘‘colts’”’ (m@do), from
their type.® Turtles and colts were strong com-
petitors in the commercial world of the time.
This competition and the fact that Aegina
greatly handicapped the development of Corin-
thian influence and trade in the Peloponnesus and
was a constant menace to her, induced Corinth to
fo COOL To” OF AMBRACIA gl
side with Athens in the long fight against
Aegina.”
When in 456 B.C., Aegina became tributary to
Athens,! it is most unlikely that the latter would
have allowed the striking of the ‘‘turtles’’ which
competed with her own ‘‘owls,’”’ in the commercial
market. The coinage of the ‘‘turtles’’ there-
fore must have come to a stop at the time.
Erichthonios ('Epixdovos), son of Hephaistos
and Atthis, and pupil of Athena, was the first
ruler of Attica after Kekrops and was often re-
presented as a serpent. We may, therefore,
assume that a serpent may symbolize Attica or
Athens. If so, the symbol we find on the Am-
bracian staters may be an allusion to the ending of
the Aeginetan coinage, as a consequence of the
conflict between Athens and Aegina. The serp-
ent Erichthonios, symbolizing Athens, * has a
“‘turtle’’ (xeAwvn) 18 in his coils; in other words,
through Athens the ‘‘turtles’’? have come to an
end.
Corinth fostered the diffusion of her currency
and through her money she held her colonies
together and tightened relations with others.
She (and therefore her colonies) considered the
colts as a kind of national flag, of which they
were proud. We can therefore understand that
the stopping of the coinage of the ‘“‘turtles’’ was
an event of the greatest importance both for
Corinth and for her colonies, and a reason for great
92 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
rejoicing. Fromthismomentthe“ colts,’ nolonger
having this competitor, would be able to fly un-
fettered, passing over the fallen “‘turtles.”
If such is not the intended meaning of the
symbol, it has certainly been an omen that has
proved true, as very few other coins had such a
large circulation and such a wide success as the
wadov,.tt
This symbol is very important as it permits us
to fix the date of the issues of this period—these
coins must have been issued shortly after the
stopping of the coinage of Aegina, about 456 B.C.
The reverses P 7 and P 8 of beautiful transi-
tional style are very like the reverse of the Corin-
thian stater in the Museum of Berlin illustrated
by Oman, the same head of Athena 1. without —
neck-guard, with the same hair in long locks over
the neck. Undoubtedly, these reverses are the
work of the same artist.
The reverses, P 7 and P 8, show a remarkable
peculiarity. On the top of Athena’s helmet
stands a butting bull. There is no doubt that it
really stands on the helmet—one can distinctly see
that the legs touch the helmet. This anomaly
did not attract the attention of numismatists; the
bull seems to have been considered as one of the
numerous symbols we find in the field near the
Athena’s head. Head, although he noticed that
the bull was standing on the top of the helmet,"
made no comment; he must have considered
Pie COLTS OF AMBRACIA 93
the abnormal position of the bull as a fancy
of the die-cutter; in fact, he placed coin
Ifa; Fl, 11) mear 111¢c,; Pl. X,- just. because this
last had for a symbol the forepart of a butting
bull."8 Imbhoof-Blumer noticed this peculiarity
too, and describing his 12a (Pl. I) says: ‘‘taureau
se cramponnant au casque”’ (bull clinging to the
helmet) .!4
Die P 9 on coin 14 (PI. II), now published for
the first time, from the only known specimen in
the writer’s cabinet, shows a similar butting bull,
but in an even more extraordinary position. It
stands no longer on the top of the helmet, but is
butting vertically downwards, on the neck of the
Goddess. Its hind-feet are on the lower edge of
the helmet and the left fore-foot touches the
neck-guard.
If we compare the dies P 7 and P 9 it is evident
that the bull is not an ordinary symbol; it does
not stand alone in the field, but is an integral part
of Athena’s helmet. On the other hand, its very
strange position, once on the top and once almost
falling off it, suggests the idea that this bull is
walking about on the helmet. It must represent
some local legend about Athena that we have not
been able to trace.
This same coin, 14, shows for the first time a
neck-guard under the helmet, which afterwards is
constantly met, with but few exceptions, on all
the staters of Corinthian types. This part of the
7
94 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
helmet was often called a leather cap; the writer
submitted the reasons that seem to prove that it
was really a neck-guard, in ‘‘ Notes on some rare
and unpublished Pegasi of my collection.”
Dies P 10 and P 11 have for symbol the kery-
keion, of which we have already spoken. We
shall find it constantly repeated in the following
groups.
All colts of this period have a deep incuse square.
Group B
Beginning with this group, the Pegasos changes
completely—the conventional parasemon of Cor-
inth and her colonies, the extraordinary animal
with curled wing is definitely abandoned. From
this moment, the wing is adapted for flying and
the body is that of areal horse. We find the same
evolution on the corresponding Corinthian issues.
The Pegasos we find on die A 14 still shows a
certain archaic stiffness; the hind-legs, for in-
stance, remind us of those of the first. Pegasoi.
No. 21 (PI. II), the first coin of this group, has
a reverse coming from an old die (P 4), that shows
traces of long wear as several fractures may be
seen. Such anachronistic couplings of dies, al-
though rare, are found sometimes even in other
series. Seltman"® explains a similar case ob-
served in the mint of Olympia: We may suppose
that the old die, lying idle for years in the mint,
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 95
has been put into use again either by mistake or
in order to replace temporarily a broken die.
The fact that we know but one specimen from
these dies (in Mr. Newell’s collection) proves that
it is something in the nature of an exception.
Coin 22 from Mr. Newell’s cabinet, looks very
similar to a Corinthian stater of the same epoch.
(rei wchr. 1909, Plo XXVI, 9.) On the
Corinthian coin, the goddess wears earrings and
there is a trident turned downwards in the field.
Apart from these differences the two coins look
very much alike. The same long curls fall down
to the back of the neck, from under the helmet,
which is without neck-guard, and there is the same
long profile. These dies look as though they were
made by the same artist.
The following coin, 23, in the writer’s cabinet,
has also a corresponding Corinthian stater. (Cf.
Page eur 1909. Pip aX XVII, “13.). On the
Corinthian coin the first two curls are longer;
this is the only difference.
These two Ambracian colts, now published for
the first time, not having any visible initial,
were placed under ‘“‘uncertain mints” both in Mr.
Newell’s and in the writer’s cabinets, and it is only
through the other coins 21 and 24, with the same
obverse, that we can attribute them beyond
question to the Ambracian mint.
The obverses A 16 and A 17 show two beautiful
Pegasoi; both are very similar. The horses are
96 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRAGIA
well proportioned and the wings large and well
drawn. The principal difference lies in the size.
The sequence is therefore well established with the
following coins.
Nos. 27 and 28, both known in a single speci- .
men only, have no neck-guard under the helmet,
a sure sign that they are among the earliest coins
of the series and that they follow 22 and 23.
Henceforward, the goddess always wears a neck-
guard. The hair of Athena on 27 is treated in the
same way as on the previous dies. There are the
same long loose locks falling from under the hel-
met and covering the neck. Nos. 27 and 28 are
closely similar and are certainly made by the same
die-cutter. They are among the finest staters of
Corinthian types.
No. 29, Pl. III, in the British Museum, was
placed by Head under Dyrrhachium (but he was
in doubt about this attribution) 1” probably ow-
ing to the symbol—the club, generally found on
coins of this mint. Even if the obverse, A 17, was
not coupled with the two reverses P 16 and P 17,
the style of them is so alike that there can be no
doubt that they both belong to Ambracia.
Another similar specimen, No. 30, Pl. III, but
from slightly different dies, now in the writer’s
collection, was also attributed to Dyrrhachium in
the Naville XII catalogue, following the catalogue
of the British Museum. The club is a very ex-
ceptional symbol on the Ambracian colts. We
fate COTS OF AMBRACIA 97
know of no other attribute of Heracles used as a
symbol in all the series. In the Berlin Cabinet
there is a colt from the Prokesch- Osten collection,
under Ambracia, with a club behind the Athena’s
head (Pl. XVII, 1), but this coin belongs to
Alvzia*?
Of twelve die-combinations out of the thirteen
composing this group, we can trace only one
specimen of each. They are certainly among
the rarest colts of Ambracia.
Group C
This group is connected with the previous one
through the Pegasos of die A 22, which is very like
the one ondies A 19 and A 17, though details differ.
Die A 22 and A 23 are very similar, and we find
them coupled with several quite different reverses.
Not only do the symbols vary on these reverses,
but the design and the style are also quite different. ©
"In this group, too, we find a coin having a strik-
ing likeness to the contemporary Corinthian issue.
Die P 27 shows an Athena’s head, wearing a
wreathed helmet, very similar to the head on the
Corinthian Pegasos in Berlin, illustrated by Prof.
Omanein Num. Chron.; 1909, Pl. XXVLI,. 16.
This olive wreath which appears now for the
first time either in Corinth or in Ambracia, is
often met in the next period.
After a time, die A 23 shows traces of wear, and
98 THE “COLTS *" OF Asi Bhai.
in some places fractures begin of which the pro-
gression can be followed. On some specimens the
alteration is so great that the shape of the Pegasos’
head seems changed. The sequence of the types
can therefore be established with great certainty.
Coin 34, Pl. III, shows an obverse struck from
a very fresh die and a reverse P 22, which is an
exact copy of die P 10 of Period II. This
coin is certainly the first of the group.
Coin 36, Pl. III, is known only from the
specimen in the British Museum where it is placed
under ‘‘ Uncertain mints.’’ 4 This coin finds its
right place in this group, the obverse being from
die A 22. The style and the general appearance
are those of Ambracia, and Babelon had correctly
ascribed it to this mint.2 The symbol on this
coin is a remarkable one; we never come across it
at Ambracia again. It represents a sword in its
scabbard.
The kerykeion is found again in this group on
dies P 27 (a copy of die P 11), P 23, P 29 and P 26.
On this last one of the best style we find an
Athena’s head of serene beauty. Behind it, in
the field, there is a symbol that although really
only a kerykeion, is of a very complex and elab-
orate shape. To the writer’s knowledge it is
quite unique and hitherto unpublished. This
symbol is formed of a kind of circle, with twelve
pellets disposed round it, in four groups of three
each, forming four corners outside it. The
tate COLTS OF AMBRACIA 99
kerykeion crosses this wreath vertically and near
- the shaft, inside the circle, there are two more
pellets on each side of it. What this symbol may
mean is rather difficult to conjecture. Only four
coins are known with it and on one only (in Berlin)
is it possible to see it distinctly, which may ac-
count for the fact that nobody has noticed it be-
fore.
Another beautiful reverse, of very good style,
is P 28 (PI. IV). Onit, we see a remarkable little
flying Nike; at first sight we would be justified in
supposing she is crowning Athena’s helmet.
Grose, in describing the specimen in the McClean
collection, takes the Nike for a flying Eros and
supposes the coin to be the same as 120 (Pl. XI).
The lovely flying figure is certainly a Nike—the
confusion is due to the McClean specimen being
very poor. What the Nike holds in her hand is
not a wreath, but a kind of knotted fillet, out-
stretched in a straight line in front of her.
Babelon in ‘“‘Mélanges et Documents”’
speaks of similar fillets. He illustrates some coins
of Sicyon with the flying dove carrying a fillet in
its beak (Fig. 6, 7), and others with a naked
youth holding the same fillet over his head (Fig.
1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). He quotes Fougéres’ defini-
tion,!2* which says that these fillets were made of
knotted wool. Similar fillets are found tied on
the top of the obelisk of Ambracia on the staters
177 to 180 (Pl. XVI). Some coins of Croton (Cf.
100 THE “COLTS” OF AMSA
Head, Hist. Num., p. 96, fig. 53 and 54) represent
a tripod adorned with fillets. One (fig. 54) has two
fillets hanging from the Tripod; on one side is
Apollo and on the other, the Python. The
other (fig. 53) shows only one fillet tied to the
handle of the tripod and the lower end of it raised.
There is no doubt that both coins reproduce the
Delphic tripod; and the raised end of the fillet on
the second coin is certainly meant to indicate that
it was dangling in the wind that blew from the
crevice over which the tripod stood in the Adyton.
All these coins reproduce the Delphic fillet,
which was probably made of wool or of an-
other similar material, but always very light, as
the wind was able to sway it.” The shape
is always the same; it is a cord with a long series
of balls or knots, without any space between them
and ending with a tassel, probably of the same
material. The fillet that the Nike holds on the
Ambracian colt is quite different. It is exactly
the same as the one we find in front of the Apollo’s
head, on the beautiful tetradrachm of Catana, by
Euainetos (Cf. B.. M. €. Sicily Nowa eee te
formed of a cord or ribbon with four pellets and
ends in a bell-like object, probably metallic. On
a stater of Velia by PIAIZ TION, there is a Nike
very similar to the one on the Ambracian colt
flying to left, over the lion; she holds in her
hands an object that was taken for a wreath, but
Poole doubted it was really one.4! On the very
eo eet is, OF AMBRACIA ror
fine specimen in the collection of Mr. E. S. G.
Robinson, who kindly allows me to illustrate it
(Pl. XVIII, 3), we can distinctly see that this Nike
holds the same outstretched fillet.
This fillet is not supposed to have been made of
a rigid material; it is a cord, a ribbon or a chain,
and this is confirmed by the Catanian coin, where
it encircles Apollo’s profile, conforming to the
shape of the die. But if this fillet is not rigid,
how could the Nike possibly hold it in a straight
line in front of her while she is flying? In the
flight it would naturally slant toward her and not
precede her. On the coins of Sicyon, illustrated
by Babelon (figs. 6 and 7), the flying dove holds
a fillet in its beak which falls in the logical
position that a ribbon or cord would take when
carried.
To explain this abnormal position, we need not
suppose that the die-cutter was ignorant of the
laws of gravity. The fact that two coins, of
different dates, and of places so far apart as
Ambracia and Velia, show this same strange posi-
tion, is evidence of a set purpose. The only
possibility is that Nike is swinging the fillet to
and fro, during her flight, just as the incensorium
is swung in the Roman Catholic Church. We
may conjecture therefore that the die-cutter re-
produced such a swinging movement.
This leads to the supposition that this fillet may
be a swinging OuucaTryjprov or incense-burner, the
102 THE “COLTS” OF ADIGE AG as
bell-like ending being the burner. The existence
of such thymiateria is known; and in the Mu-
seum of Naples there is a specimen formed by a
box-like burner, hanging to a chain, very similar
to the incensorium.!”
In the writer’s collection there is another colt,
but of Corinth (Cf. B. M. C., No. 334), on which,
next to Athena’s head, there is a flying Nike carry-
ing a thymiaterion. We may deduce that this
Nike is burning incense in honour of Athena, just
as the Nike on the Ambracian coin does over the
head of the Goddess. The only difference be-
tween the two would be that one Nike uses a
standing thymiaterion and the other a swinging
one.
Several colts of Anactorion have as symbol a
thymiaterion and fillet. They all belong to the
same epoch, and Imhoof-Blumer describes them
under 96, 97, 98.122 These three coins are illus-
trated on Pl. XIX, 4, 5 and 6. The following
cuts show the symbols on these coins enlarged.
a is the usual thymiaterion.
b is a thymiaterion too, but with four knobs on
the rod and a kind of flower-like burner.
c is the so-called fillet. On one end there is a
ring to hold it, the same knobs are on the string;
and at the lower end there is the same flower-like
burner.
It is very likely that all these represent
thymiateria, but of differing shapes. The only
Pee OOS, OF AMBRACIA 103
distinction is that b has a pedestal and is therefore
a standing thymiaterion, while c has a ring to hold
it and is therefore a swinging one. The latter is
the one we see Nike swinging over the helmet of
Athena on the die P. 24. Several reverses of this
A
&.
—
Ih
OL 18) Cc
group are beautiful specimens of the art of the
Fifth Century, as P 26 and P 28, but coupled with
the same obverse A 23, we find the reverse P 29
(Pl. IV) that shows a head of Athena that is
really extraordinary for this period. If it were
not coupled with the same obverse, nobody would
have thought it could belong to the Fifth Century.
This head is of the most awkward style, the eye
bulgy, the chin large and the neck-guard too big
for the helmet. If we were guided by style only
in establishing the chronology of issues, this coin
might be placed nearly a century after the staters,
Nos. 38, 39 and 40.
104 THE “COLTS” OF AMBEAG
The difference of style is such that we cannot
suppose die A 23 had laid idle in the mint and
then been used again. Besides the following die,
P 30 (Pl. IV), although slightly better, shows a
remarkable likeness of style; evidently the same
die-cutter made the two dies—we can still see the
same protruding eye and the same clumsy manu-
facture. Obverse A 24 coupled with this die, is
practically identical with A 23, and only minute
details permit us to see that it is another die.
Coin 42 is therefore not a chance coupling with
an old die, but a coin that really belongs to this
group. Consequently dies P 29 and P 30 are
evidently the work of an unskilled die-cutter who
followed good artists in the mint of Ambracia.
This proves how misleading it is to rely on
style alone in establishing the chronological se-
quence of an issue, and confirms once more the
desirability of study of the die combinations.
A remarkable symbol is found on coin 43. It
represents the sacred conical stone (Gattbdor)
of the Apollo ’Ayucebs who was worshipped in Am-
bracia.4 We again find this obelisk of Ambracia,
on the last silver issue of the mint, and afterwards
it becomes the principal type of the bronze coins.!”*
On coin 43 c in the Museum of Athens, there is a
sort of crescent over the obelisk; probably it is
accidental, as in all other particulars it corre-
sponds to die P 30.
THE COLTS” OF AMBRACIA = 105
III PERiop, From 426 To 404 B.C.
After the disaster of Olpai, Ambracia made a
truce of one hundred years with her neighbours,
the Amphilochians, and through not taking any
direct part in all the wars that went on in Greece,
she soon recovered from her losses and reestab-
lished her former flourishing condition. This is
proved by her beautiful coinage. The present
period begins with the peace with the Akarna-
nians and ends with the fall of Athens, in 404 B.C.
Although we have no direct proofs, knowing
that Ambracia was always faithful to the mother-
city, we may suppose she stood by Corinth in the
great war against Athens, whose fall must have
been particularly pleasing to the Ambracians, and
worthy of being recorded on an issue of coins.
The wreathed staters that close this period may
have been issued to commemorate this event.
Group A
In this group, we find some obverses on which
the Pegasos is of very poor style. If it were not
for the reverses P 29 and P 30, we would be rather
at aloss to place them in sequence. A 26, PI. IV,
especially, shows a Pegasos that is a very ugly
beast with thick legs and completely out of draw-
ing. Evidently it is the work of the die-cutter
responsible for P 29 and P 30. The very bad style
of these dies may be explained by the hypothesis
io . THE “COLTS’* OF AMBRAw
that after the disaster of Olpai, the mint was
obliged to employ a poor die-cutter, the only
one they had at hand in that moment of crisis.
The sequences of dies is surely established, the
Pegasoi look all more or less related to each other,
although of better style than A 26. A 25 stands
alone, but the reverse coupled with it is P 31 that
is generally found with A 26 and A 27.
Two obverse dies, A 27 and A 28, are found
coupled with die P 26 which belongs to the pre-
vious group.
A remarkable peculiarity of this group is that
there is no civic letter on the obverses, while in
Period II there is always the A beneath the
Pegasos. All the reverses have the same symbol,
the kerykeion.
Group B
This group is connected with the previous ‘one
through A 31, which is very similar to A 29.
All the coins of this group show a deep incuse
square, which is a sign of archaism. This tech-
nical peculiarity is abandoned in the following
groups. Like the obverses of group A those of
this group, too, have no civic letter beneath the
Pegasos.
The reverses are all very similar, save for the
change insymbols. We find a strung bow, an ivy-
leaf, a running hound and a crane. They seem
to be merely ornamental and are all placed in the
pe CIS 6 OF AMBRACIA : +107
same way in front of the Athena’s head. Owing
to these symbols and to the omission of the civic
initial under the Pegasos, several coins of this
group have been attributed to other mints. No.
54 was ascribed by Imhoof-Blumer to Alyzia,
because of the bow that is generally found on these
coins, and No. 57 to Argos because of the dog.
Babelon repeats these attributions, but it
escaped his attention that he was placing exactly
the same coins under Ambracia too, when he was
speaking of the specimens of the British Museum
described by Head under this mint. This case
is an interesting evidence in favour of the study of
the die-combinations; and a glance at Pl. V will
convince anyone of the importance of the ob-
verses in the classification of the colts.
Group C
Although between groups B and C there are no,
direct links, the peculiarity of the missing civic
initial on the obverses is enough to show that the
two groups are related, as afterwards this A ap.
pears again; besides, we still find a very deep in-
cuse square on some coins. The first obverse of
this group A 32 (Pl. V) shows a Pegasos with a
wing that is partly effaced—only the ends of the
feathers can be seen. The second, on the con-
trary (A 33), shows the wing formed of three
feathers in very high relief. One might be
108 THE “COLTS” OF AMERAC rT
tempted to think that the die has been awkwardly
recut.
Reverse P 41 has a symbol representing a
human figure. It is placed in front of the helmet
and seems either to climb over it or to dance in
front of it.
Reverse P 42 shows the same figure, but larger
and better modelled. On this we can see a small
tail. “It therefore represents a Satyr.
Group D
The link between this group and the preceding
is coin 64 (Pl. VI). The reverse P 43 is very like
P 42. The style is identical, Athena’s head and
the symbol, again a little human figure, are of the
same technique.
The Pegasoi on obverses A 35 and A 36 are
radically different. Coin 65 (Pl. VI) is the
coupling of dies A 35/P 44; we find coin 66 from
dies A 35/P 43, P 43 being the previous’ reverse.
This coin 65 has an owl for a symbol, and it is
very likely that the other coins with the same
symbol and coupled with obverse A 36 and A 37
belong to the same issue. Die P 43 has a re-
markable symbol—a naked winged male figure,
holding a taenia in his hands—can this be Eros?
The other symbols are all apotropeia; the owl
(Athena noctua), the fly and the crab.
Peeeeee iets OF AMBRACIA ‘109
Group E
The first obverse of this group, A 38, has ex-
actly the same Pegasos as 39; it is merely smaller.
Although the reverses are quite different, there is
no doubt that coins 75 and 76 are closely related.
Reverse, P 50, is very interesting; a similar
wreath of ivy leaves is found on a coin of Leucas
Peewee ty OX XIV) 15)) Probably 75 in-
spired the coin of Leucas. The obverses A 39
and A 40, instead of having only the civic A, have
AM beneath the Pegasos; and the reverses
coupled with them have no longer the A only, but
the full ethnic, AM or AMII.
Coin 76 has the ethnic for the first time but
retrograde. This inscription prompted Head to
place the coin immediately after the archaic
issues." This retrograde ethnic cannot be con-
sidered asa sign of archaism. It is more probable
that it was made so because the die-cutter was not
used to engraving inscriptions; the omega instead
of omicron confirms it.
Coin 77, of which we know one specimen only,
has a spike-fish as a symbol; it is possible to rec-
ognize its species. Probably it represents the
Scorpena porcus that is still common in the Gulf
of Ambracia.
Coins 78 and 80 have reverses that seem differ-
ent but are probably the same die. In front of
the Athena’s head P 53 has AMII and P 54 AM
and in the place of II, a locust.
8
110 THE “COLTS” OF AiG
On the plate is illustrated the Paris specimen
80 c, but this is very poor and the locust looks like
a flaw. Only on 79 in the de Sartiges collection
can one distinctly see that P 53 and P 54 are
probably the same die, on which a locust has been
cut over the II.
Group F
This group is composed of three obverses that
show very minute differences, the first two re-
verses coupled with A 41 still show a very deep
incuse square—indeed, P 55 has a linear frame
within the incuse square, and this is quite excep-
tional in the Ambracian series. Some of the
reverses coupled with the same A 41, have, on the
contrary, no trace at all of an incuse square;
these have a wreath of laurel leaves round the
Athena’s head. The deep incuse square that we
find on the first two coins of this group, 81 and 82
(Pl. VII), disappears completely afterwards.
We may therefore infer that all these coins have
been issued at about the time when the habit of
making the reverse-dies on a square punch was
abandoned.
It seems that the incuse square on Greek coins
generally ceases after 400 B.C. Naturally it still
remains on those coins that are deliberately made
to look archaic.!”7 Regling brings down this date
to the beginning of the fourth century.”
eee eet OP AMBRACIA 111
M. Vlasto, in his recent exhaustive study of the
coinage of Alexander, son of Neoptolemos,'”
expresses the opinion that the above-mentioned
wreathed staters may have been issued as a tribute
to Alexander, during his stay in Ambracia, before
he sailed for Italy in 334 B.C. He bases his
hypothesis chiefly on the symbol, the thunderbolt,
which was the Molossian signet. In the first
place we know that the mint of Ambracia was
closed in 338 B.C., therefore the coins would not
have been issued after this date. Furthermore,
all the coins of this group share the same obverses,
and are therefore contemporary, so if we accept
M. Vlasto’s dating for the wreathed staters, we
should have to bring down the coins with the in-
cuse square to about the same date, which is
certainly impossible.
Besides, if the thunderbolts on the staters with
the wreath are similar to the Molossian badge,
those on the two coins with the incuse square are
certainly very different. Both parts of the
thunderbolt on the Molossian coins are the same,
while on the Ambracian dies P 55, P 56 and P 57
one part is formed by two volutes curled outwards
and three waved flame-lines; the other part is
shaped like a lily-bud. These thunderbolts look
more like those we find on some coins of Olym-
pia.
Our hypothesis is that the wreathed staters
were probably struck to commemorate an im-
112 THE “COLTS” OF Asp ne
portant victory. The only event that can have
left such a mark on the Ambracian currency is the
fall of Athens. Although this was certainly not
an Ambracian victory, the fact that this colony
was always very closely related to the mother-
city, and probably helped Corinth in the great
war, explains that the Ambracians may have
considered it as their own victory too. The
grudge Ambracia must have had against Athens
owing to the terrible defeat inflicted upon her by
the Athenian Demosthenes, fully justifies her
rejoicing at the fall of Athens, an event worth
commemorating with an issue of coins.
We have already seen that the wreathed staters,
84, 85 and 86, have the obverses from the same
die A 41, which is found coupled with the reverses
still showing the incuse square, and that this dis-
appears completely afterwards. All these coins
must therefore have been issued at about 400 B.C.,
the date generally accepted for discontinuing the
square punch for the reverses. This date would
permit the belief that the wreath of laurel-leaves
may commemorate the fall of Athens, and there-
fore we suggest for the end of this period the date
of 404 B.C.
Coins 83 and 87 have a very small K between
the thunderbolt and the helmet. This letter is
so small that it can be seen on very fine specimens
only. The size of the letter may suggest that it is
the signature of an artist; this would be the first
instance of a signed Ambracian colt.
Pree eeoaio OF AMBRACIA « 113
IV PeErRiop, FROM 404 To 360 B.C.
After the end of the Peloponnesian war we
know of no other event that might have left marks
on Ambracia’s coinage. Fixing the end of Period
IV as 360 B.C. is more for the sake of conven-
ience than because of any historical data.
In all the former periods, the symbols, with a
few exceptions, are simple and inconspicuous... In
this period many of them, especially in groups B
and C, are statuesque in form, and often on a
comparatively large scale.
Neither in the coinage of the mother-city,
nor in that of her colonies, do we find a series that
can be compared with the colts of this period.
They are certainly the most interesting and charm-
ing of all staters of Corinthian types. Artistically
many of them are not out of place among the
finest Greek coins.
Group A
The first obverse of this class, A 44, is found
coupled with seven reverses. They differ con-
siderably in style, and if the sequence of the dies
did not prove it, one would not think they be-
longed to the same issue.
This obverse A 44 after the first two coins 90
and 91 (PI. VII), begins to show small flaws under
the Pegasos. Two small linear flaws near the A
transform this letter in some cases, to a sign that
114 THE “COLTS ~ OF Awa
is very similar to the monogram of Anactorium,"!
This coincidence accounts for the attribution by
Head of coins 93 and 94 to the mint of Anactorium.
For the same reason in the Cat. Hirsch, X XX, our
92 and in Cat. Egger, 1908, our 93 are given to
the same mint.
Before noticing that these coins, 93 and 94, had
their obverses from the same dies as other Am-
bracian staters, their general appearance and the
large civic initial, the archaic A of peculiar shape,
so characteristic of the Ambracian coins,}
prompted placing them under the coins of
Ambracia.
On coins 90, 91, 93, 94, 95 and 96, we find for
the first time letters in addition to the civic
initial. This is exceptional in the Ambracian
mint and it is not clear what these letters mean.
If they were magistrates’ initials one does not
understand why they should be only on these six
reverses coupled with the same obverse die A 44.
And why are they of different sizes and placed all
round Athena’s head? They look as if they did
not belong to one name, but to different words.
On die P 61 under the Goddess’ chin there is
A, and behind the head ®.
On die P 64 under truncation of neck AH, and
over the helmet, to left, =.
’ On die P 65 under the neck HA, and over the
helmet the same large =.
On dies P 66 and 67 before the civic initial,
Ofte SOLIS OF AMBRACIA 115
almost in connection with it, a retrograde N.
The large = situated opposite the civic A of
about the same size, is certainly not a sigma buta
M and belongs to the ethnic.
We have already found on die P 57 a small k
that may be a signature initial, but the only
ground to support this hypothesis is the size of
the letter. But now on dies P 61, P 62 and P 65,
we find a very minute A which is certainly the
initial of an artist’s signature.!! In this case
there is not only the size to support this statement.
The other letters on the coins, besides the civic
initial, prove that it could not be a magistrate’s
initial. And the position chosen by the die-
cutter for this small A, once in the folding of the
neck-guard (P 61 and P 62) and once under the
elbow of the little figure of Pan (P 65), leaves no
doubt that it is really the signature of an artist.
These two A’s are so small that they are hardly
visible on the plate.
The symbol on P 63 generally described as a
locust is really a cricket (Grillus campestris or
domesticus); the size of the head and thorax and
the short elytrae, make it easy to distinguish this
insect.
The branch on P 64 was described by Head as
a climbing plant, and by Babelon as an ivy-
branch.4 But coin 176 (Pl. XVI) proves by the
flower that this is a kind of thistle.
Dies P 66 and P 67 show a head of Pan in pro-
116. THE “COLTS” OF AME
file, and P 65 a Pan with goat’s head and legs,
holding a branch over his shoulders.1*®
The Pan symbols on these coins prove that his
cult was held in honour in Ambracia, probably
owing to herding of sheep and goats in the
country °° 3
Group B
The link between the former group and this is
given by coins 98 and 99. These have the reverses
from dies P 64 and P 65 that belong to Group A,
but have an obverse die A 46 that we find after-
wards coupled with reverses P 68 and P 69 of
quite different style and that have always been
considered as belonging to an earlier epoch.!*”
That the sequence of dies P 64, P 65, P 68, P 69
is correct, is proved by the wear of die A 46.
When coupled with P 65, it is fresh and the A
beneath the Pegasos distinctly visible, when with
P 68 and P 69, on all the 15 specimens we know, it
is more or less effaced, and on some, of very good
preservation, one would hardly suspect it ever
existed. |
It is certain therefore that the reverses of this
group follow those of group A.
All these reverses show a constant type of
Athena’s head, which is of a peculiar style. The
eye of the goddess is almond shaped and almost
full-face, the neck-guard large and rounded.
They have an archaic aspect which is not in
Pee tesisis. OF AMBRACIA ‘117
accordance with the other details of a more ad-
vanced style.
Some earlier Leucadian staters 8° show exactly
the same head of Athena, and we may suppose the
Ambracian heads were copied from Leucadian
colts, (or vice versa) or that the heads may have
been copied independently from a well-known
statue or typeof Athena. In any event, it is clear
that these heads are purposely archaistic.
On coin 106 (Pl. X) we find a lovely girl, in a
most realistic style, playing at kottabos. The
contrast between this charming little figure and
the full face eye of the goddess is striking. A
great contrast of style exists too between the two
sides of the coins of this group. Dies P 68 and
P 69 are first found coupled with the above men-
tioned A 46, which shows a very poorly modelled
Pegasos. ‘The body is long and thin, the neck too
long for the small head, and the extraordinarily
long tail is almost as long as the body of the horse.
The other obverses improve by degrees and A 49
is the best of all. On this we find for the first
time an A on the hind-quarters of the Pegasos.
As we find beneath it the civic initial A, we are
justified in supposing that this A may be an
artist’s signature, probably the same that made
the beautiful reverses of this group.
We know only coin 108 with this obverse. This
coin now in the writer’s collection passed through
two sales (Hirsch XXXI, and Naville VI) and
118 THE “COLTS” OF ABBE At
nobody noticed this peculiarity, although the A
is very distinct. The dies of this group inter-
change frequently and thus establish the chrono-
logical sequence of the coins.
A remarkable peculiarity of this group is that
almost all reverses have the ethnic inscribed at full
length, but the variations of its spelling are
surprising.
On die P 68 and P 69 there is:
AMITIPAKIOTAN.
On dies P 70 and P 73 the omicron is replaced by
omega, and on die P 71 the B replaces the II.
On die P 84 (Pl. XI), which we now find
coupled with two obverses belonging to the follow-
ing group but which we are convinced will be
found some day coupled with the same obverses
belonging to the present group, we read: AMIITPAK-
IQTAN, but the II on coin 124 is larger and heavier
than the other letters, and it looks as if it had been
recut over another letter, probably B.
It is not easy to explain this variation in spelling
on coins that are so similar. Dies P 68, P 69 and
P 70 are certainly made by the same artist and
dies P 71 and P 84 by another—I mhoof-Blumer
remarked that these two last are probably the
work of the same die-cutter.1"
We might suppose that this group of reverses
was issued at the time of the change of the archaic
O to Q, but as we have on an earlier coin the full
Petes OP AMBRACIA | 119
retrograde ethnic spelled AMITPAKIQTAN (76,
Pl. VII), we are inclined to believe that the omi-
cron intentionally replaces the omega on these
two dies in order to be more in keeping with the
archaistic head of Athena.!!* Cousinéry had
noted the use of B and II on these coins, and he
explains it.‘ As there is only one die with B, and
another, probably by the same artist, with a II
that seems to be cut over another letter, we may
be justified in supposing that this B was a mistake
of the die-cutter, who corrected it afterwards on
another die.!4® The mistake is easily compre-
hensible if we consider that the II is pronounced
nearly as B after M.
The first three symbols we find on the coins of
this group, are the tripod, the lyre (chelys) and
the flaming-torch. All three are attributes of
Apollo “Axrios, who was jointly worshipped by the
Akarnanians and the Ambracians, in the famous
temple of Aktion. He was considered as the
protector of navigation,!44 and therefore it was
quite natural that Ambracia who owed her wealth
chiefly to her commercial fleet, should honour
Apollo "Axrvos.
The flaming-torch is not a usual symbol of
Apollo,44 but on a coin of Akarnania,!4> we see
Apollo seated on a rock, and in front of him a
flaming-torch, and this Apollo is undoubtedly the
Apollo “Axrios. The symbol is therefore not only
an attribute of Apollo, but it proves that the coins
120 THE “COLTS “OF AMBrAG
were issued under the protection of the God
worshipped in Aktion.
Die 71 shows a symbol, that is one of the most
remarkable and interesting that we find on a
stater of Corinthian types.
Helbig has explained that the charming girl
standing near the pole, is playing at kottabos.1*
Head repeats this explanation, and says that the
girl is balancing the scale or tAdo7rvyé on the point
of the rod that the players may throw their wine
at it. Half way up the rod is a basin xorraPevov
to catch the wine, or perhaps the scale itself as it
fell on being struck by the successful thrower.!*
Imhoof-Blumer describes a vase where there is a
maenad in the same attitude as the girl on the
Ambracian colt, between two dancing satyrs who
take part at the game with cups in their hands.
He believes that the girl represents a nymph.!*
The exquisite modelling of the girl, the graceful
movement of her body and the pose of her lifted
head, make of this charming little figure a real
master-work. The contrast between this realistic
figure and the conventional Athena’s head is
striking, as we have already observed, and is
evidence that the coin cannot be placed at an
earlier period.
Reverse P..74 on coin 111 (PL x eiaewen
Athena’s head similar to all the others of this
group. The eye is still full-face. The symbol,
the fore-part of a butting-bull, prompted Head 1!
fee Obs OF AMBRACIA: “121
to connect this coin with 12 (PI. I) of the second
period, the butting-bull on top of Athena’s helmet.
The type of the Athena, and the obverse which is
only a reduction of those preceding, are sufficient
proofs that the coin belongs to this group.
No. 113, one of the last of the group, is rather a
puzzling coin. If it were not that the obverse is
from die A 52, the same found on 111 and 112, it
would certainly not be placed here. The head of
Athena is of a quite different style and the incuse
square would indicate that this die belongs to an
earlier period. But all the known specimens are
found coupled with the obverse A 52; and al-
though the coin is one of the most common colts
of Ambracia, of which fifteen specimens are re-
corded, they all come from the same pair of dies.
To explain this anachronistic reverse, we may
postulate that the die was made at an earlier
epoch, and for some reason discarded or put aside.
After a long time, in a moment of great need, the
available dies being insufficient—perhaps to re-
place a broken die—it was used for the first time
and in conjunction with the obverse-die in use at
the moment. The symbol on this coin probably
represents the prow of the vessels Argo (’Apyw) —
or Pelias (IIjAvas), made from wood taken by
Athena from the holy oak of Dodona, in which the
sacred doves (7éAevar) nested. It may therefore
be considered as a totem of them.!”
122 THE “COLTS” OF Aisha.
Group C
The three obverses of this group A 53, A 54 and
A 55 are of the best style. The prancing Pegasos
is well proportioned, the wing large and well
drawn and in keeping with the beautiful reverses.
The last two have an A on the Pegasos’ hind-
quarters, such as we already found on die A 49,
but the civic initial is no longer on the obverse.
On the first die A 53, this A is not visible, but as
this letter can be seen on very fine specimens only,
and as our only examples so far have a rather
worn obverse, it is highly probable that this die
too has the same initial in the same place, the more
so, that the other die A 56! shows also the same
letter on the Pegasos’ hind-quarters.
All these obverses have no letter beneath the
Pegasos. It is therefore possible that the civic
initial has only changed its place in copying die
A 49 on which it probably represented the artist’s
signature.
The link that relates group B to the present one
is given by coins 106 and 115, which have reverses
from die P 71 with the beautiful girl playing at
kottabos. The sequence of the coins of this group
is well established as the dies interchange fre-
quently. We can trace the progression without
interruption.
These colts are certainly the finest among all
the staters of Corinthian types, and they are of
Pete OoLs OF AMBRACIA — 123
the greatest interest for the variety and im-
portance of the symbols, which should no longer
be called symbols, but, rather, Ambracian types,
added to the conventional Corinthian types of the
Pegasos and Athena’s head.
The girl playing at kottabos is the first of these
Ambracian types; the second is a very important
one, representing the historical founder of Am-
bracia. Only two specimens are known with this
reverse P 83. One coupled with A 54 was in the
Rhousopoulos collection and we do not know
where it now is. The other specimen, coupled
with A 55, isin the Cabinet des Médailles in Paris
(No. 127, Pl. XI). On this coin there is a fine
naked male figure, wearing a conical pilos and sup-
porting himself with a long staff. In front of the
Athena head there is the inscription TOPTOL—
no doubt the name of the hero represented.
Owing to the head-gear this figure was taken for a
Dioskouros, but R. Rochette recognized that it is
Gergos,!® son of Kypselos, the leader of the
Corinthian colonists. Writers designate this hero
in different ways: Torgos, Gordios,!® Gorgias or
Gorgos. This last, being on the coin, may be
considered the correct one.
There is a very striking analogy between Taren-
tum and Ambracia. In Tarentum the leader
of the Lacedaemonian colonists was Phalanthos,
the historical oekist of the town.'54 But
the mythic, eponymous, native oekist was
124 THE “COLTS” OF AMPEA
Taras, the son of Satyra and Poseidon.'®> In _
Ambracia the same condition holds. Gorgos,
like Phalanthos, is the historical founder of the
town, while Ambrax, son of Thesprotos, is the
eponymous, native oekist. On the Ambracian
colt we find Gorgos leaning on a long plain staff #
(oxym7T pov), the royal staff, symbolizing his author-
ity over the colony he has founded. On several
Tarentine nomoi (Vlasto No. 14) we find Phalan-
thos with the same symbol of authority.*
Dies P 78 and 78a on coins 116, 123 and 126
have another interesting Ambracian type, a youth-
ful horned male figure, naked, seated on a bull’s
head. On die P 78a in front of Athena’s head
there is the inscription APAQOOZL. On die P 78
the inscription is over the seated figure’s head;
and on specimen 116a in Berlin we can distinctly
read: APA. ee.
The two dies, P 78 and P 78a, although they
have different inscriptions and are differently
placed, are really the same. P 78 is the first state
of the die and P 78a is the state after a modifica-
tion has been made toit. This is proved by coins
126 a (Pl. XI) and 126g (Cf. Bement, 966). On
the first,there is a little flaw under the chin of
Athena; on the second, the die-break is larger and
crosses the inscription, while on no specimen of 116
can we see a flaw. Furthermore, on all well pre-
served specimens with reverses from P 78a, one can
distinctly see faint traces of the inscription above
Peete Otils “OR AMBRACIA 1425
the figure; and on specimen 126a, in the writer’s
collection, one can notice the A of the beginning
of the inscription, examining the coin under a tan-
gent light. We may therefore conclude that the
inscription on die P 78 being found unsatisfactory,
probably because of the mistake in spelling (T in-
stead of ®), was erased, and the correct one, in
front of the Athena head, substituted.
Evidently the horned youth represents a river-
god; and since the name inscribed is that of the
river flowing through Ambracia, it is obvious that
this river-god represents the Arachthos deified.
Imhoof- Blumer! and Head © explain this
figure in the same way, but Babelon !! says:
“Sur ce statére le nom "ApadVJos est un nom de
magistrat et non point celui du dieu-fleuve Arat-
thos qui est en symbole derriére la téte de Pallas.
L’Aratthos est le flueve qui arrosait Ambracie;
le magistrat appelé aussi Aratthos a pris naturelle-
ment pour symbole la figure du dieu-fleuve dont il
portait le nom.”
Babelon in this case, preoccupied only in finding
a plausible confirmation of the ‘ Magistrates’-
signet theory,’’ tried to find a roundabout explana-
tion for the symbol, rather than to see in an ob-
jective way, the simple evidence of the name of
the river inscribed over the head of the river-god.
Coin 128 (Pl. XI), of which we know only the
specimen in Mr. Newell’s collection, shows a
winged male figure riding adolphin. Head and
9
126 THE “COLTS” OF AMERAGE
Riggauer,’® describing a later revival, of the same
type (Pl. XIV, 150) are of the opinion that the
figure represents an Eros, which is only natural
as the figure has wings and rides a dolphin.
Similar Erotes are often met at later dates. (Cf.
Berlin cat., Lil, Tat, XLV¥,92007-
The three above mentioned dies, P 78a, P 83
and P 85, have striking analogies of style and
composition—on all three the heads of Athena,
and the general appearance is exactly the same;
and on all three the civic initial is on the bowl of
the helmet.
The symbols, of the same nature, are real
Ambracian types. On the first two, P 78a and
P 83, they are treated in the same way and placed
similarly. Both dies have names opposite the
symbols.
The two figures on dies P 78a and P 85 are in an
attitude that is peculiar—both are clasping hands
round the left knee. There can be little doubt
that the three reverses are the work of the same
artist. |
We have seen how similar the reverses P 78 a,
P 83 and P 85 are—this last has the winged
dolphin-rider in place of Gorgos and Arachthos,
which are on the other two. If this winged figure
represents an Eros it would be out of place between
the oekist and the river-god of Ambracia. We
may therefore infer that he represents a local
hero. It would not be surprising if on a more
eee ont OF AMBRACIA § 127
complete specimen of 128, we were to find an in-
scription in front of Athena’s face, as with TOPO
on die P 83 and APA@88O02 on die P 78a, which
would explain the meaning of the winged dol-
phin-rider and give us his name.
As we have already said,!*4 die P 84 (Pl. XI)
really belongs to the previous group. Athena’s
head is exactly the same as on die P 71. The
youthful naked male figure, standing with his
right hand raised to his head, is very similar to the
girl playing at kottabos. Imbhoof-Blumer had
previously observed this likeness and suggested
that the two dies were made by the same die-
cutter, which is highly probable. He supposes
that this die is a pendant of die P 71 and that the
two complete each other. Hesays that this figure
may represent a young Pan looking at the playing
nymph.'! Head considers that it represents an
athlete.)
All the known specimens of this coin were more
or less incomplete, the head of the figure always
partially off-flan. This accounts for Imhoof-
Blumer’s and Head’s suggestions. The only
specimen that shows the complete figure is 125 f,
in Paris (de Rothschild coll.), and this was not
known to them. On 125 f, one can see that the
handsome youth with long wavy curls wears a
Corinthian helmet without crest or neck-guard.
His r. hand is raised above the vizor in the attitude
of taking off or putting on his helmet. This
128 THE “COLTS” OF Apres
figure may represent the copy of a statue of a local
hero.
A naked figure with a helmet might represent
Ares, but against this attribution is the fact that
the god is never associated with Athena, who was
known to be his enemy and the only one that
could stand against him.1®@ Besides Ares in this
epoch is generally represented either wearing a
chlamys, or naked, with a crested helmet and a
spear in his hand.
Babelon describing coin 125d in the British
Museum says that the obverse has AM under the
Pegasos while in reality there is no letter at all,
the civic initial being on the hind-quarters, on
both dies A 54 and A 55. This error is under-
standable because in the catalogue of the British
Museum there is no indication at all on the ob-
verses of 5 and 6; and as there is AM under the
Pegasos of 4, he thought all three had AM.
The reverse from die P 82 on coins 120 and
129 shows a flying Eros (?) binding an olive-wreath
round Athena’s helmet. Babelon places this coin
by mistake, under Corinth and supposes the
wreath is of laurel and is meant to commemorate
the victory of Chaeronea.'’ But afterwards, in
the posthumous part of his Traité, he describes the
London specimen and repeats Head’s explanation
about the olive-wreath.1*
The reverse from die P 81 on coins 119, 131 and
133’ has a symbol representing a Gorgon’s head
fete Os OF-AMBRACIA — 129
placed sideways. The tongue instead of being
downwards is towards Athena's neck.
Although this position is puzzling, the choice of
the symbol is quite natural. Probably it is an al-
lusion to the epithet of yopyogovos often given
to Athena !® and is employed as a protection
against evil influences, the Gorgon’s head being
known as one of the most powerful amorpdémara.!”
This die P 81 is the only Ambracian die with
the civic initial A on the neck guard, the small A
we find on coins 90 and 91 in the same place
being a signature.
Die P 79 shows a bearded hero wearing a conical
pilos and armed with sword and shield. Only on
the specimen 117g (PI. X) can this symbol be seen
completely. On all others, the shield is partially
off-flan, and looks like a bow.
PERIOD V, FROM 360 To 338 B.C.
As we have already stated, the date for the
beginning of the present period is only conject-
ural. The reverses have still the same kind of
Ambracian types for symbols but a new type of
Pegasos marks the commencement of the period.
The end corresponds to the closing of the Am-
bracian mint in 338 B.C., after the battle of
Chaeronea, when Philip of Macedon placed a
garrison in the town."
Under Pyrrhus, and afterwards, Ambracia
struck coins only sporadically—chiefly bronzes.
130 THE “COLTS” OF Axia
Group A
The first Pegasos of this group is a new type,
and entirely different from all the others of the
series. It looks like a ‘revival’ of the archaic
Pegasos with curled wing, but instead of flying,
he is walking. There is an exergual line. A
similar Pegasos is found on a corresponding issue
of Corinthian staters, of which we illustrate six
specimens on Pl. XIX.
These staters were considered as belonging to
the fifth century,’ which is certainly a mistake.
The style of the reverses is of much later date, and
it is more likely that they, as well as the Am-
bracian coins of this group, belong to the middle
of the fourth century.
The archaism of this walking Pegasos is un-
doubtedly intentional, and is evidently copied
from a well-known Corinthian work of art. The
style of the Ambracian reverses coupled with die
A 57 (Pl. XII) and the following Pegasos with
pointed wing that we find on die A 58 coupled
with some of the same reverses, proves sufficiently
that this archaistic Pegasos belongs to this group.
These two Pegasoi although different in design,
show a head in the very same pose. On both it is
slightly turned to 1. and is not quite in profile.
The Pegasos on die A 58 (Pl. XIII) shows a
remarkable peculiarity found in this and the fol-
lowing group only. The wing is composed of three
rows of feathers, one of long and two of small
Pee Oto OF AMBRACIA 131
feathers. This very characteristic feature permits
us to establish the sequence of the following
group. Die A 57 after the first coin, 135 (PI.XIJ),
shows a flaw on the exergual line which is very
small on coins 136 and much larger on coins 137
and 138 (Pl. XII). This flaw gives us the possi-
bility of establishing the exact chronological se-
quence of dies P 86, P 87, P 88 and P 89. Die
P 86, the first of the present group is in fact
very similar to the previous reverses, with
the same kind of Ambracian type; and the ob-
verse coupled with it is fresh and shows that it
comes from a new die (see coins 135b and 135i,
Peek is
Dies P 86 and P 87 are very similar—only the
symbols change, but P 88 and P 89 are of com-
pletely different style—they look older, and the
symbols too are of a simple nature, as we find on
earlier coins. Judging only by the appearance,
they should have been placed in an earlier period.
Coin 135 is a very interesting one, the symbol
on the reverse is a real “tableau de genre’ and
one of the Ambracian type that we have seen in
the previous group. Head,!” having only the
specimen cf the British Museum where half the
symbol is off-flan, could not see what it really was
and gives therefore the following very ingenious
explanation: ‘‘ Naked male figure, perhaps Am-
brax the traditional founder, seated on rocks,
while on the other side of the principal type a
132. THE “COLTS” OF As Erie
swan swims to the left, this type symbolizing
perhaps the city of Ambracia, the acropolis of
which occupied a rocky height at the foot of which
the river Arachthus, indicated by the swan,
flowed through a fertile plain towards the
Ambracian gulf.’ ?@
On the splendid specimen of the same coin from
the Imhoof-Blumer collection, we can distinctly
see that what was taken for a swan is really the
very same symbol we have already seen on the
coins of the second period beneath the Pegasos
(Pl. I, 12, 13 and Pl. II, 14 to 20). Itrepresents a
serpent coiled round a land-tortoise and striking
at it. Head’s suggestion that the naked figure
represents Ambrax is very probable and the staff
that the figure holds in his left hand, a symbol of
authority, seems to confirm that this is the
mythical oekist of Ambracia.
We may reconstruct Head’s explanation taking
into consideration our own exegesis of the symbol
wrongly described as a swan. Ambrax, the
eponymous oekist of the town, seated, with the
staff as symbol of his authority in his hand, is
witnessing the destruction of the “turtle’’ by
Erichthonios.
The serpent-turtle symbol first appeared on
coins issued just after the stoppage of the Aegine-
tan ‘‘turtles.’’ At the time, as we stated, it was
probably an allusion to the disappearance of a
strong competitor of the “‘colts’’ and was a sort of
Pee OF AMBRACIA — 133
prevision of the consequences that this would have
on the diffusion of the ‘‘colts.’’ It may be sur-
prising to find the same symbol on coins of an
epoch in which Aegina was again striking coins, but
before 456 B.C. the ‘‘turtles’’ were almost a
Peloponnesian currency and a dangerous com-
petitor of the Corinthian staters, while after the
fall of Athens, the coins of Aegina were only a
local currency, no longer interfering with the
Corinthian influence.
Coin 136, immediately following the above, has
a symbol always described as ‘Infant Heracles
strangling serpents,’ and it is really surprising
that nobody should have noticed there were no
serpents to be found in the boy’s hands! The
mistaking of the serpent-turtle symbol for a swan
is quite comprehensible as the symbol is often
partly off-flan. The tortoise looks like the back
of the swan and the serpent like its neck, but the
symbol on coin 136 is always complete, and noth-
ing can be mistaken for serpents, although Head,
Babelon, Grose and others, seem to have detected
them.
This plump little boy is certainly not the infant
Heracles. Heisina squatting attitude, the right
knee slightly higher than the left, as if he were
raising himself. With his left hand he supports
himself on the ground—his right is raised as if
pointing at something.
On an Apulian vase in the R. Museum of Bo-
134 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
logna, there is a similar plump boy, with a thyrsos
in his right hand; he is in the same squatting
attitude.!"5 Above him is inscribed Avoviaos,!”4
and to the left there is the head of Persephone-
Kore. Gerhard ?’® illustrated this vase and
identified the child as Iacchos, the mystic off-
spring of Kore.
Evans,!” speaking of a small Tarentine gold coin
with a similar boy, but with a distaff in his right
hand and a spool of wool in his left, describes the
same vase and says that the child on the coin may
be regarded as the infantile representation of
Taras, and the comparison with the boy on the
vase marks the influence of a prevalent Chthonic
cult on that of the eponymic founder.
Iacchos was often represented as a handsome
boy, wpatos Oéos,!”8 and his place near Athena’s
head could perhaps be explained by the version
that he was saved by Dionysos and given to
Athena who nursed him.!9
As Gerhard’s identification of the boy on the
above mentioned vase is generally accepted, we
may be justified in thinking that the symbol on the
Ambracian stater represents Iacchos; and, if so,
it is probably to be connected with the annual
Eleusinian festivals.
The symbol we find on coins 137, 138, 142 and
143, is an androcephalous bull, full-face and in
profile. The head in profile is similar to the
Pee os OP AMBRACIA § — 135
symbol found on the colts of Stratos,® which
evidently represent the _ river-god Acheloiis.
Oberhummer’s !*! opinion that this head on the
Ambracian staters may represent the river-god
Aracthos is to be discarded; we have already seen
that Aracthos was represented as a youth, while
this is the bearded face of an elderly man and
therefore certainly an Acheloiis head. The cult
of this river-god was not localized in the country
through which the greatest of the Greek rivers
passed, but was general over all Greece.1*!
But Acheloiis was not only the river-god, he
was also the personification of the liquid element
and was therefore an important part of the cult of
Dodona,!®? where Zeus had the surname of Ndatos
and the oracles delivered there began generally
with: “AxeXwow Avev.18! We may therefore con-
clude that these symbols on the Ambracian colts
not only represent Acheloiis’ head, but are
closely related to the famous temple of Dodona.
The symbol we find on 144 is a flying dove
CPA). next to it, there is NI. A similar
bird is found on two other coins of the series, 148
and 181 (Pl. XIII and Pl. XVI), this last one with
the inscription NIKOZOH.... This dove is
probably one of the Peleiai (Ilé\evac), the sacred
birds of Dodona, that nested in the holy oak.
From the flight of these doves, and the places
where they perched, the priestess, Peleias, inter-
preted the oracle of Zeus.'%% This is therefore
136 THE “COLTS” OF AME
probably another Dodonian symbol employed
as an amorpoTatov.154
Coins 139 and 140 (Pl. XIII), also have a very
interesting symbol—a beautiful little figure of
Zeus, striding to right and hurling a thunderbolt.
This small Zeus examined under a magnifying
glass, shows the most perfect features and anat-
omy. The well-proportioned body and great ac-
curacy in the smallest details make this a marvel-
lous figure. Few Greek coins can show so
nearly perfect workmanship in such a reduced
size.
This Zeus is certainly not the creation of the
artist who made Athena’s head, which, although
good, shows certain weaknesses. The helmet is
too small for the head and there is a general flat-
ness to the whole. Itis probable that he carefully
copied the Zeus from a well-known and celebrated
work of art. As the previous symbols refer to
Dodona, it would not be impossible that this is
the statue of the famous Dodonian Zeus.
It is regrettable that the best known specimen,
illustrated on Pl. XIII, although very good, is not
in mint state. If it were, we might perhaps dis-
cover round the Zeus’ head the wreath of oak-
leaves.
An argument in favour of our hypothesis is the
little bronze found in Dodona and now in the
Berlin Museum.!8> This, although of very rough
style shows a Zeus in exactly the same attitude.
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 137
He is striding to right and hurling a thunderbolt
with his right hand, while the left is outstretched.
Arms and legs are in the same pose. It is possible
that this bronze is a rough copy of the same
statue. Considering that Ambracia was on*the
easiest route to the famous sanctuary of Dodona,
while from the coast opposite Corcyra the way was
very steep and difficult, and several parallel chains
of mountains had to be climbed before reaching
the town,!** it is natural that a continuous flow of
pilgrims should have passed through Ambracia so
that she was constantly in contact with Dodona.
This would explain the reason for frequently
choosing Dodonian symbols for her coins.
The two reverses, P 90 and P 97, have heads of
Athena that look to be from the same die. The
dolphin under the neck of the Goddess and the A
over the Zeus are perhaps added afterwards.
Group B
The most interesting coin of this group is that
with a naked figure kneeling under the Pegasos,
examining its hoof. This obverse A 61 (PI. XIII),
is different from all other obverses of the whole
series; it stands quite isolated. We are able to
place it here owing to the kindness of Sir
Charles Oman, who kindly sent me a cast of the
remarkable and probably unique stater in his
collection, with Pegasos flying over a running
138 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
Chimaera (145, Pl. XIII). This coin is the link
between the previous group and the present.
The Pegasos on the obverse A 60 is very similar to
that on die A 58; the only difference is that one is
slightly smaller than the other. Both Pegasoi
have their heads and wings of thesameshape. As
we have already remarked, all wings previously
have had only two rows of small feathers—these
two have three rows.
The Pegasos following on die A 61, although
standing instead of flying, is very similar. It has
the same head, and the wing is also composed of
three rows of small feathers. This would be
enough to show that A 60 and A 61 follow each
other, but both obverses are coupled with the
same reverse, P 94, therefore it is evident that the
two coins 145 and 146 belong to the same issue.
Coin 145, now published for the first time, has
on the obverse as we have noted, a running
chimaera under the flying Pegasos. Nos. 146
and 147 have the same obverse, A 61, on which we
see, under the standing Pegasos, a little figure
holding the right hoof in his hand and examin-
ing it.
Nowhere else in this series, excepting the coins
of the second period with the serpent-turtle sym-
bol on the obverses (Pl. I and II), do we find
symbols on the Pegasos die.
Dies A 60 and A 61 seem exceptions, but it is
evident they are not symbols. Neither the chi-
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 139
maera nor the little figure are independent of the
principal type—they are integral parts cf the myth
of Pegasos. On the first it is obvious that the
Pegasos flying over the chimaera is an allusion to
the fight of Bellerophon with that monster.
The second obverse is less easy to understand
and has been interpreted variously. Mionnet
thought it represented a satyr, owing to a small
tail he imagined he saw.18’ Head described
this little figure as a naked youth sitting on a
low stool and examining the hoof of Pegasos;
he supposed this coin to have been inspired by a
contemporary didrachm of Tarentum!** (Evans
type C—Period IV) which has exactly the same
figure under the horse. Evans described it as
‘‘a naked boy picking a pebble from the horse’s
hoof.” 48 Babelon, too, states that the Am-
bracian colt has been copied from the Tarentine
coin, and adds that these kinds of reproductions
of types are due to the fancy of the die-cutters or
mint-magistrates who “s’en sont fait un jeu et un
amusement.’’ 190
The numismatists who have described this coin
have had only one or two specimens at their dis-
posal, and as the little figure is very small, and
often badly struck or blurred, their descriptions
are not always exact.
We have carefully examined fourteen casts
from the same die, and have ascertained the
following points:
140 THE “COLTS” OF AS Rat a
1. The figure does not represent a boy, but a
strong muscular man; and the face, very clear on
some specimens, is not that of a boy.
2. He has no tail. On some specimens (e.g.,
146b) a small tail-like flaw can be seen, but on
others (like 147a) this is much larger and can no
longer be taken for a tail. On others, again
(146d), the flaw does not exist.
3. He is not sitting on a stool, but sits on his
right heel; the left foot can be seen beneath the
right knee.
4. He holds the hoof with his left hand, while
his right is above it. The attitude is of attentive
examination.
From these observations we may conclude that
the figure is not a satyr or a young boy as on the
Tarentine nomos.
Babelon’s hypothesis of a die-cutter or magis-
trate amusing himself by imitating another coin
that represents ‘‘a boy picking a pebble out of a
horse’s hoof’’ is highly improbable—the Greek
mentality was far too subtle to indulge in such
‘‘pastime.”’
Eckhel, in his Numi Veteres Anecdoti, suggested
an explanation that has been forgotten. With the
support of some verses of Dionysos Periegetes and
comments of the Scholiast Eustathios, where it is
recorded that Pegasos before reaching Tarsos had
lost a hoof,!" he says that the little figure rep-
resents Bellerophon examining the injured foot of
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 141
Pegasos. This is a very probable explanation
and our observations exactly correspond with it.
Furthermore, it receives confirmation from the ob-
vious meaning of obverse A 60 on coin 145 of the
same issue.
As stated above, both coins have therefore
obverses representing an incident of the myth of
Pegasos.
Consequently we may conclude that this Am-
bracian colt has mythological significance, and
that the Tarentine nomos has not. It is there-
fore but reasonable that this last one should have
been inspired by the first and not vice-versa, as
has been supposed. The colts circulated freely
in South Italy, and may have tempted a Tarentine
die-cutter to copy them. The nomoi of Tarentum
of lighter weight were certainly not frequently to
be met in Ambracia. Consequently, the Am-
bracian coin is earlier than the Tarentine. The
better style of the latter is not surprising if we
consider that the mint of Tarentum possessed
such famous artists, as PJ and KAA at the time.!%
On coins 148 and 149 (Pl. XIII-XII) we see
again a sacred 7éAera of Dodona, such as we have
already found on die P 93.
On coin 151 there is a serpent, another effective
amroT pot avov.!94
Die P 97 on the rare coin 150 is a revival of die
P 85 (Pl. XI). The head is larger—the A is no
longer on the bowl of the helmet, but under the
10
142 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRA a
neck truncation, The dolphin-rider, larger too,
isin the same attitude—clasping his hands round
the left knee.
This is the only case of a revival of an old type
in all the Ambracian series, and seems to confirm
our opinion that the dolphin. rider is not intended
for the usual Eros. As we already stated, it is
probable that it represents a local hero, whose
name we may learn some day.
Head suggested that this type was also inspired
by the Tarentine nomoi.!"” This was natural enough
as he believed that the type found on coin 146
was borrowed from the same mint. But if coin
150 were the only coin having such faint resem-
blance to the Tarentine coinage, we are sure he
would never have suggested that the winged-hero
was borrowed from Tarentum.
Coins 152, 153, 155, 156 and 159 are the simplest
colts of Ambracia. After the interesting and
elaborate dies we have been considering, they
make a strange contrast.
Like dies P 94 and P 95, die P 99 has only the
civic initial, but in the first two it was only natural
that they should be simple, as they were coupled
with a very pictorial obverse, while in this very
simple coin there are just the standard Corinthian
types.
“Die P 100 (153, 155 and 156, Pl. XIV) is still
simpler—merely Athena’s head. This is certainly
the least interesting of the series.
tee era OF AMBRACIA = 143
Die P 101 (154 and 157) and P 102 (158), on the
contrary, are very remarkable. The heads are
exactly the same—as though they were from the
same die—but the symbols are different. Natu-
rally it would be possible that the shrimp might
have been cut over the dolphin, but it does not
seem in exactly the same place.
Group C
From this moment to the closing of the mint,
the wing of Pegasos shows a marked tendency to
curl upwards. This peculiarity of the wing is
common to all late staters of Corinthian types.
In this group this peculiarity is just perceptible,
but in the following it is more accentuated.
The Pegasoi on the five obverses composing this
group are all very similar. The first four reverses
have Olympian symbols—they are all evidently
derived from the staters of Olympia.
Die P 103 has a thunderbolt of a very uncom-
mon shape, the upper part composed of two wings
and a central dart. These wings are not sym-
metrically disposed; the left one overlaps the
dart to right. A similar thunderbolt is found on
certain coins of Olympia > (Seltman, 166, die
60, Pl. V).. We know only one specimen of coin,
160, Pl. XIV, with this symbol. It is, we believe,
hitherto unpublished.
Die P 104 has an eagle with spread wings stand-
ing on a ram’s head; this too is very similar to a
144 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
coin of Olympia (Seltman, 320, die id, XI).
The resemblance to the Olympian coins is so
strong that E. Curtius 8° supposed Elis had also
struck coins of Corinthian types and that our 157
might be a colt of this town.
Die P 105 shows an eagle with:spread wings
holding a serpent in its beak, similar to the eagle of
another Olympian stater (Seltman 123, die BH,
Pl. IV). P 106 has another symbol of the same
kind, an eagle standing upright as on Seltman 312
(die Jw, XI).
All four reverses are. found coupled with the
same obverse. They are all very rare, and but
few specimens are known of each. They must
have been in use for a short time only.
These symbols are too numerous and too similar
to the coins mentioned to be considered as a casual
coincidence. They are certainly taken from the
Olympian types and must have been chosen to
commemorate an Ambracian event in connection
with Olympia. What this event could have been
is rather difficult to conjecture; certainly it was
not political. Perhaps it was the admission of
Ambracia to the Olympian games, or rather some
important agonistic victory obtained there.
The other reverses of this group which share
obverses with the previous, have another charac-
teristic that is distinctive—the helmet of Athena
has a crest. To our knowledge, this crested hel-
met is found on these colts and on some of Anacto-
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 148
rium and Leucas. The combination of dies of
coins with the crested helmet and those with the
Olympian symbols proves that they follow each
other. Thesymbol found with the crested helmet
is always a spear-head, a characteristic Aeakid
badge, which became at a later period a recognized
badge of the autonomous Epirote mints.!%7
Group D
The coins that form this group all have the
Pegasos with the wing curled upwards. Their
style is rather pcor and clearly shows the begin-
ning of decadence. The two obverses, A 76 and
A 77 (Pl. XV—XVI), must have been used for a
long time. The first we find coupled with four
reverses, the second with eight.
On the obverse of coin 173 there are such large
flaws that the Pegasos is completely disfigured.
It is astonishing that such a damaged die should
still have been used. No coins without these
flaws are known.
The following die A 77 has also large flaws but
we can follow the progression of the fracture of
the die from the beginning. No. 174 is the first
coin we find with this obverse and the flaw is
very small near the Pegasos’ right hind-leg.
Reverse P 114 is almost the same as P 115;
but very small differences enable us to see that
they are not the same die. This coin is the link
between the two obverses and proves that A 77
1446 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRAG A
replaces A 76 when this was completely broken.
The small flaw we see on the above mentioned
coin progressively augments in size, until on coin
181 the die shows a large lump that covers the ©
hind-legs of the Pegasos. The chronological se-
quence of the seven reverses can therefore easily
be established. |
The continued use of the two obverses so dam-
aged is almost unique in the Greek series; either
very bad metal was employed in making the
dies, or they had great difficulties in making
new ones. Anyhow, although this may sound
incredible, it seems that only one pair of dies was
in use at the time and that one die replaced the
other when this could no longer be used.
We think it necessary to remark for the sake of
accuracy that the fractures show practically the
same state of progression on all the specimens of
the same couplings. We have not chosen ex-
tremes to illustrate on the plates, but just the best
available specimens. Thus, for instance, all three
specimens of 181 show the obverse in the same
state of fracture.
A very strange circumstance is that of all the
eleven reverses found coupled with these two
obverses, but one (P 112) shows a small fracture.
It has always been thought the reverses wore more
quickly than the obverses, and the greater number
of them seems to prove it. But if this be so, how
is it that the surviving coins do not show traces of
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 147
wear? The only explanation would be that they
were changed frequently and as soon as a fracture
appeared; but, if so, why were not the ob-
verse dies changed too, when they were in such
a state—for example the obverses on coins 170,
173, 180 and 181?
Dies P 111 and P 112 have a thymiaterion for
symbol. Here we can see that the burner is very
small and shaped like an acorn. This shows that
the ending of the swinging thymiaterion, of which
we have spoken on p. 102, is not too small for a
burner. Dies P 113 and P 114 have Athena’s
head from the same die, but P 114 has a bunch of
grapes added afterwards to the die. It may be
that this bunch of grapes has been added to hide a
fracture of the die.
On die P 117 there is a branch of thistle for
symbol. Babelon described it as a poppy—prob-
ably he did not notice the flower or that the leaves
had thorns.
Dies P 118, 119, 120, 121 and 126 all have the
same symbol—the obelisk of Ambracia, which we
have already found on coin 43 (PI. IV) of the II
Period.'*4
Coin 181 is very interesting. We know only
three specimens of it. On the London specimen
there are five letters, NIKO; on the specimen in
the writer’s collection the inscription is more
complete, NIKOZOE . . ., but some letters are ob-
viously missing. Probably the complete inscrip-
148 THE “COLTS” OF AMeAGi
tion is Nikosthenes. If this is the name of a magis-
trate, it would be the only Ambracian colt with a
magistrate’s name. ‘The symbol of this very late
coin is a dove, such as we found on coin 144
(Pl. XIII) on which, near the dove, we find NI.
As we know no other_Ambracian colt with a
magistrate’s name, we are more inclined to believe
that NIKOZOE .. . does not represent the name
of a magistrate but a name of a local hero like
TOPTO2.
Die P 124 is again inscribed AMIIPA, which isa
very remarkable feature for such a late coin.
Head places 183 at a very early period, prob-
ably owing to the ethnic, but there is no doubt
that it is one of the last colts of Ambracia. The
Pegasos’ wing curled upwards is a very sure
feature of a late issue, and it is never found before
the fifth period. Besides, the style of Athena’s
head is very bad too and certainly has nothing in
common with the archaistic style of our 100, 101,
102 (Pl. IX) and 106 (Pl. X), among which the
coin was placed in the Catalogue of the British
Museum.?%8
This coin, like the two following, has the obverse
from the same die A 78, with AM beneath the
Pegasos; 183 and 184, illustrated on Pl. XVI, have
this M off-flan, but on 182 it is visible. The M
near the A was probably necessary at the time to
distinguish the colts of Ambracia from those of
Argos, this mint having started to employ the
poe COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 149
civic initial A as Ambracia had always done be-
fore.
Nos. 184 and 182 are both known by one speci-
men only—the first in the writer’s collection and
the second in Paris, where it is among the colts of
uncertain mints. This coin has a very peculiar
symbol; the very careful and realistic reproduction
permits us to establish that it does not represent
the common locust which we often find used as a
symbol on Greek coins, but the female of Locusta
viridissima or cantans, bearing eggs, which ac-
counts for the abnormal size of the abdomen.
Uncertain Mints
The coins under this heading are generally con-
sidered as belonging to Ambracia.
They are of three distinct groups. To the first
belong 186, 187, and 188; they are of a quite
peculiarly coarse style—the Pegasos on the only
obverse found coupled with the three reverses is
of very rough workmanship. We meet with
nothing similar in all the Ambracian series, but
on some colts of South Italy (Locri) we do
find a style approaching this. The heads of
Athena are very flat and they seem to be the work
of an unskilled die-cutter.
This group with the large A on the reverses can
hardly be accredited to a mint other than Am-
bracia, but because of the style and the fact that
130 THE “COLTS? Of AMG RAe
these coins stand quite isolated, we place them
under the ‘‘Uncertain Mints.’’ We are inclined
to believe that they may be imitations of Am-
bracian Colts, made in Southern Italy, where they
are generally found.
The second group is composed of a single reverse
die, with two obverses. If this coin (190, PI.
XVII) is of Ambracia, it would stand quite iso-
lated in the established sequence. The style of
the reverse is good, but the obverses with which
we find it coupled are of very bad style; the first
is similar to A 80, but the second has a Pegasos of
the peculiar type that is found on very late colts
only. The olive-wreath placed on the helmet be-
low the bowl, and the long flowing loose locks
visible on both sides of the neck as though a
strong wind were blowing from behind the Athena’s
head, give to the coin a very peculiar appearance.
We are tempted to believe it belongs to another
mint, perhaps Apollonia or Anactorium, the lyre
and the wreathed helmet being often met on coins
of this last mint.
To the third group belong the coins 191 and 192
(Pl. XVII). The style of reverses P 131 and P
132 can be considered as very good for such late
coins, but the modelling is very flat and too sweet
and conventional. One can clearly see that the
preoccupation of the die-cutter was with making
something pretty. A strikingly similar style is
found on the Pyrrhic coins, made in Sicily.
ee eters. OH AMBRACIA ~-151
These coins are perhaps the only colts struck in
Ambracia after the closing of the mint. We con-
jecture that they were struck at the time when
Pytrhus made Ambracia his capital. Their
rarity seems to confirm that they were soon re-
placed by the currency of the Epirote ruler.
Coins 193 and 194, illustrated on Pl. XVII, both
in Berlin, are barbarous imitations. On the first,
the shape of the letter behind the Athena’s head is
noteworthy. The die-cutter did not understand
the peculiar shape of the Ambracian A?; he
thought it was an ornamental device and copied
it as a triangle A. This seems to be the coin il
lustrated by Cousinéry.2”
The second has a reverse that is rather closely
copied from die P 113 (Pl. XV), but the obverse
shows a Pegasos that we never find on colts of a
Greek mint. Only on Syracusan colts do we
sometimes find the Pegasos with both wings
visible.
A third coin illustrated on the same plate (195)
is an ancient imitation too; the reverse is copied
from die P 65 (Pl. IX) and the reverse is copied
iramevaedia ol, Leucas (cf. B. M. C., Pl. XXXIV;
8). Such a Pegasos with curled wing is not known
as yet in the Ambracian series. This coin is very
light; it weighs grm. 6.70 only, but it is certainly
genuine. Unfortunately enough the coin that
was kindly sent to me by Count Chandon de Bri-
ailles has been lost in the mail.
152 THE “COLTS” OF AMPRAG
Coin a, illustrated on Pl. XVII, is in Naples in
the Santangelo Collection; there is no doubt
that the inscription at full length is a modern
addition.
Cousinéry illustrates on Pl. IV, 9, a similar
coin inscribed in full on the obverse, over the
Pegasos; both coins have an A on the Pegasos’
hind-quarters; they are of exactly the same
technique. The Ais very heavy and was probably
made by cutting away the horse’s thigh. These
coins are certainly forgeries, and as they look very
similar it is probable that they come both from
the same counterfeiter.
Several catalogues illustrate coins of Gela,
Agrigentum, Messana and even colts, with pellets
and extraordinary symbols added to common coins
by clever soldering. There was an engraver in
Catania, a certain Geremia, who made a specialty
of this kind of falsification, and although we do not
know of any such forgeries for Ambracia, we think
it of interest to describe some colts that passed
through public sales with the addition of spurious
symbols.?0?4
Leucas. Large head, with Phrygian cap added on
the reverse. Egger Sale, 1906, 366.
Anactorium. Large head, with conical pilos added
on the obverse. Same sale, 367.2%
Corinth. Three pellets added on the reverse.
Egger Sale, 1909, 352.
ites COs OhyAMBRACIA .-153
Locri. Three pellets added on the obverse.
Same sale, 369. Hirsch XXX, 517.
Locrt. Pecten-shell added on the reverse. Egger
Sale, 1909, 370.
Syracuse E. T. Newell Coll.
All these coins were altered by the same man,
now dead. As they are published, they might
be dangerous for students. The coin with pellets,
added might lead to fallacious metrological conclu-
sions ,"o18
REMARKS ON DIES
The following table gives the number of all re-
corded specimens for each die. The dies are
divided by periods and groups so that it is pos-
sible to see the peculiarities of each group.
A similar table has been established by L. O.
Th. Tudeer for the tetradrachms of Syracuse 2°
and by W. Schwabacher for the tetradrachms of
Selinus.2°4 We think it of some interest to com-
pare the three tables.
Syracuse 709 specimens, 43 A-dies, 80 P-dies.
Selinus 262 specimens, 14 A-dies, 35 P-dies.
Ambracia 619 specimens, 79 A-dies, 126 P-dies.
The maximum number of specimens from the
same die are:
For Syracuse 53 from A-dies, 38 from P-dies.
For Selinus 59 from A-dies, 19 from P-dies.
For Ambracia 44 from A-dies, 22 from P-dies.
154 THE “COLTS** OF AMERA =
The exceptionally high number of specimens
from the same A-die in Selinus may perhaps be
explained if we consider that probably the greatest
number of the recorded coins come from one
hoard. The die must have been in use for a long
time, as several coins show a very large fracture.
In Ambracia, also, the maximum number of
specimens from the same A-die is proportionately
much larger than in Syracuse.
It seems that in the mint of Ambracia they did
not mind using a broken die for the obverse, but
they were very particular about changing the
P-dies as soon as a small fracture appeared.
We know only a few reverses with flaws, and these
are very small, while some obverses are badly frac-
tured. Perhaps in Ambracia the A-dies were
fastened to the anvil, and therefore even if they
were broken they could still be used, while the
P-die, used as a punch, received the blow. If
damaged, it could not have stood the hammering,
and they were therefore obliged to change it as
soon as it was damaged (cf. page 146).
The average of the number of A-dies in relation
with P-dies is the following in the three series:
Syracuse 10 to 18,
Selinus 10 to 25,
Ambracia 10 to 15.
For this last series the average is misleading.
Even if we do not consider the abnormal pro-
portion of the two dies that we have already re-
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 155
marked for the first period (p. 85), the ratio be-
tween the two dies is variable even between two
groups of the same period.
We have for instance in groups A and B of pe-
riod II
10 to. 12,
and in group C of the same period we have 3
A-dies for 9 P-dies, or proportionally
10 to 80 (3),
and in group B of period V
10 to 8,
while in group D of the same period 4 A-dies for
16 P-dies, or proportionally
10 to 40.
Such discrepancies are difficult to explain.
A possible hypothesis would be that the coins of
groups C/II and D/V may perhaps have come
from one or two finds composed of coins of the
same issue, being couplings of a large number of
reverses (P-die) with the same obverse (A-die),
while those of groups A—B/II and B/V have been
found singly. Perhaps in the last-named groups
many other reverses existed of which no specimens
have survived. This is mere conjecture, and
for the present cannot be substantiated as no
record of a find of colts exists.
We may conclude that the original ratio between
obverses and reverses was certainly much larger
than the average of 10 to 15.
156 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
TABLE OF THE RECORDED SPECIMENS
A-dies| Number] P-dies}| Number
—_————————— | —_—$ EE ei — |cq““—
1 8 1 5
I PERIOD 2 3 2 3
Group A 3 1 3 5
6 A-dies, 21 spec. 4 4 4 8
4 P-dies, 21 spec. 5 3
6 2
Group B 7 2 5 9
3 A-dies, 18 spec. 8 8 6 9
2 P-dies, 18 spec. 9 8
II PERIOD i : f
11 4 8 2
Group A
3 12 3 9 1
4 A-dies, 17 spec. 13 6 10 6
5 P-dies, 17 spec. 11 3
14 4 12 1
15 1 13 1
16 1 14 3
cms | i) an
8 A-dies, 16 spec.
: 19 1 17 1
10 P-dies, 15 spec. 20 4 18 1
21 1 19, 1
20 4
ae 1
22 4 22 1
23 10 23 3
24 S) 24 1
Group C 25 1
3 A-dies, 19 spec. 26 1
9 P-dies, 19 spec. 27 Z
28 4
29 1
30 5
eee elo OF AMBRACIA 157
A-dies| Number} P-dies| Number
III PERtIop & : 5
26 S) 32 3
Group A
5 A-dies, 16 spec. A f se Ec
3 P-dies, 13 spec. a8 3
29 2
30 5 34 5
Sle ie | 31 16 E 4
2 A-dies, 21 spec.
: 36 6
4 P-dies, 21 spec. 37 6
32 5 38 4
Group C 33 14 39 1
2 A-dies, 19 spec. 40 1
5 P-dies, 19 spec. 41 7
42 6
34 4 43 5
35 7 44 6
Group D 36 28 45 4
4 A-dies, 55 spec. 37 16 46 8
7 P-dies, 55 spec. 47 13
48 10
49 9
38 4 50 4
Group E 39 10 el 8
3 A-dies, 18 spec. 40 4 52 1
5 P-dies, 18 spec. 53 3
54 2
55 3
56 2
iis At 12 | 57 5
3 A-dies, 23 spec. 42 10 58 1
6 P-dies, 23 spec. 43 1 59 2
60 10
11
158 THE “COLTS” OF AMBER
Andies Number Pediael eases
44 34 61 9
IV PERIOD = : o2 :
63 9
Group A
i 64 5
2 A-dies, 35 spec.
7 P-dies, 35 spec 5
Meigs 3 Se 66 5
67 1
46 19 68
47 12 69
48 26 70
49 1 71
50 1 72
51 21 73
32 zt 74
Group B
7 A-dies, 101 spec.
10 P-dies, 95 spec.
55 28 79
Group C 56 3 80
4 A-dies, 59 spec.
8 P-dies, 56 spec.
or 44 86
58 19 87
V PERIOD 59 1 88
Group A
3 A-dies, 64 spec.
P-dies, 64 spec.
oo
‘SS 18 78 3
54 10 {178 13
ie oes OF AMBRACIA “159
A-dies| Number] P-dies| Number
60 1 94 9
61 15 95 7
62 2 96 6
63 9 97 3
Group B 64 3 | 98 2
11 A-dies, 41 spec. 65 4 99 4
9 P-dies, 41 spec. 66 1 1100 5
67 1 101 2.
68 1 102 3
69 3
70 1
103 1
71 9 1104 3
ro 5 4105 4
Sis 73 elite 2
5 A-dies, 30 spec. 74 10 |107 3
8 P-dies, 30 spec. a5 3 {108 4
109 10
110 3
111 6
76 12 112 2
77 pees Vhs: 1
78 5.1114 3
ie a 79 1 (115 5
4 A-dies, 46 spec. 116 2
16 P-dies, 46 spec. 117 2
118 4
119 3
120 6
160 THE “COLTS “OF AMGRAG
A-dies | Number] P-dies |Number
121 5
122 3
Zs 1
124 3
125 1
126 1
I Period 9 39 6 39
II Period 15 52 24 Di
III Period 19 152 30 149
IV Period 13 195 25 186
V Period Bae) 181 41 181
TOTAL 79 619 |126 606
Combinations with re-
verses from other periods
Or ZrOUPS. | 5G An «6 ee vireo en £3
THE WEIGHT STANDARY
One of the chief factors of the success of the
Corinthian currency was certainly the standard
adopted. Although it was really the Euboic-
Attic standard, the system of division by 3 and
6 permitted an exchange with the money of the
Aeginetic-standard. Thus a Corinthian stater
corresponded to an Attic didrachm and a Corin-
thian drachm or 1/3 stater to an Aeginetan
hemidrachm or 1/4 stater. Head indicates the
weight of the standard of the Corinthian stater as
8.74 grm. (135 grs.).% Babelon brings this
weight to grm. 8.72.27
fee CS OF AMBRACIA © 161
These are higher than the weights we have ob-
tained with the frequency-table, established by
the Hill-Robinson method.”8 Results obtained
with this method are certainly truer than those
obtained with the averaging system where ex-
ceptionally heavy coins or especially light ones
may greatly influence the figures obtained.
A first frequency-table established with the
coins of the British Museum gave us a frequency-
summit of 8.55 grm. Adding 1 per cent, for loss
of weight by circulation, we obtain a normal
weight of grm. 8.63, which, given the good condi-
tion of the coins of the B. M., must be very near
the Corinthian standard. From another table
established with 135 coins in my own collection,
we obtained a norm of grm. 8.58. The difference
of grm. 0.05 is probably due to the better condition
of the coins of the B. M.
A table established with the coins of the differ-
ent towns of Akarnania, recorded by Imhoof-
Blumer, and 110 specimens of my own collection,
gave us the highest point of grm. 8.50; adding
1 per cent, we obtain a norm of grm. 8.58 for the
staters of Akarnania.
Another table with all the Ambracian staters
here recorded, 496 specimens, gives us the highest
point grm. 8.45 plus 1 per cent, norm grm. 8.53.
In working out this table we observed that the
weights seemed to augment towards the end of
the series; this induced us to make three separate
tables and we obtained the following results:
162 THE “COLTS” OF AMBrAgi.
I-II-III Per. ..Summit 8.35 grm. plus 1%, norm grm. 8.42.
LVePer eae -,..Summit 8.45 grm. plus 1%, norm grm. 8.53.
Vs Pep oth a eres Summit 8.50 grm. plus 1%, norm grm. 8.58.
From these results we may draw the following
conclusions:
1. That the Colonies of Corinth seem to have
had a lower standard than their mother-city,
and that this must have been very near to 8.58
grm.
2. That the standard of Ambracia was lower
than that of the other colonies.
3. That not only the standard of the colts did
not drop at about the fourth century, as Prof. P.
Gardner says,?°° but on the contrary, at least for
Ambracia, it rose at that time and reached the
level of the coins of Akarnania.
ERRONEOUS ATTRIBUTIONS
In many public and private collections there are
often colts inscribed A and therefore placed under
Ambracia which do not belong to this mint. We
think it useful to illustrate these coins on Pl. XVII
and XVIII, although many of them have already
been attributed to other mints, by Imhoof-
Blumer, but not being illustrated, they are often
misplaced.
A great number of these coins are of very late
style, and certainly posterior to the closing of
the mint of Ambracia.
Peels (Or AMBRACIA 163
ALYZIA
Coin 1 (Pl. XVII) in Berlin, from the Prokesch-
Osten collection, is certainly of this mint. A
specimen in the writer’s cabinet has the reverse
from the same die and the inscription AAT is
clearly visible in front of the Athena’s head, while
on the Berlin specimen only A and the lower part
of the other two letters can be seen. This coin
corresponds to Imhoof-Blumer No.5.72. Coin 2 (PI.
XVIII) in Athens belongs to the same mint; the
obverse is from the same die as the coin of Alyzia
in’ Paris, illustrated by Babelon (Tr., t. IV, pl.
CCLXXII, 20). The symbol, a quiver and a
bow, confirms this attribution.
ARGos AMPHILOCHICUM
Coin 3 (Pl. XVIII) in Paris and 4 in Berlin are
undoubtedly from this mint. The AM in front
of the Athena’s helmet is not the beginning of
the Ambracian ethnic, but of AM®IAOXON.
This can be seen on the coins of the same
mint (Imhoof-Blumer 28 to 38)?" on which the
ethnic is AM®IAO, AM@IA, AM®PI, AM@ and after-
wards, AM only. The symbol is generally either a
spear or a spear-head. A similar coin in the
McClean collection is erroneously ascribed to
Mesma.?!?
Coin 5 in Munich, and others similar, under
Ambracia in the Hague and in a private collection,
1644 THE “COLTS (Ob AM
have AP and a shield for symbol; this coin corre-
sponds to Imhoof-Blumer 16. Nos. 6, 7, 8 and 9
under Ambracia in several public and private
collections are of Argos and can be found in Im-
hoof-Blumer too. Nos. 10 to 13 in Munich,
Glasgow and London are of the same mint and
were ascribed to Argos by Imhoof-Blumer owing
to their fabric.24% Although placed under Ambracia
in the British Museum Catalogue, Head doubted
they were really of this mint.?!4
On all these coins cf very flat fabric and of late
style, the Athena’s hair is distinctively treated.
On all the Ambracian staters it flows down from
beneath the helmet and neck-guard, while on these
coins it goes back over the neck-guard in ungainly
heavy curls of a very conventional shape. Prof.
Oman, in his recent study on the ‘“‘ Late Coinage
of Corinth,’’ remarked the same peculiarity on the
late Corinthian issues.245 These conventional
curls which look like hooks stuck on the neck-
guard never occur on the Ambracian colts.
They are, however, met sometimes on late coins of
Anactorium and Leukas, but are generally pres-
ent on the late colts of mints that continued to
strike colts after the Macedonian invasion—such
as Argos, Astakos, Coronta(?), Metropolis, Thyr-
reion—and on the colts of the Akarnanian league.
COTA
oO:
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA 165
NOTES
. Dr. E. Oberhummer. Akarnanien, Ambrakia, Amphi-
lochien, Leukas im Altertum. Mliinchen, 1887, p. 4.
sscyl., 33:° Dionys. Calliph.,.28.
Oberhummer, op. cit., p. 26.
eee eet, 20 (x XII-9).° Livy, XXXVIII, 3, 11.
Oberhummer, p. 72.
. Oberhummer, p. 64.
Dion. Hal., a R. 50.
. Oberhummer, p. 79.
E. Babelon, Traité des Monnaies Grécques et Romaines,
Peps tome LV ,.c,132.
Raoul Rochette, Annali dell’Istituto di Roma, t.I,
pp. 312-316.
10. Ernest Curtius, Griechische Geschichte, II B, p. 87.
Babelon, op. cit., col. 124.
10%. Herod., VI, 29. Curtius, Studien zur Gesch. von
1f.
12.
LS,
14,
bey
16.
Ly:
18,
19.
Connth, Hermes 2. B., 2 H., p. 229.
Babelon, op, cit., c. 127.
Thucyd., II, 68. L. Heuzey, Le mont Olympe et
l’Acarnanie, p. 298.
oucvdsntliviiz. L. Heuzey, op. cit., p. 305.
L. Heuzey, op. cit., 298.
Tivcyd,, 11,112,
Babelon, op. cit., c. 128.
ied. Vil. 3. Head B. M. Cat., p. lvi, Babelon,
Opatite LV, €. 128,
Barclay V. Head, Catalogue of the Brit. Museum,
Corinth, p. 111, n. 63 and 64. The weight corre-
sponds to the half-victoriatus.
Pollux (1X, 76) says: tov, To voucopa 76 Kopivd.ov, OTe
Inyaoov etxev &TeruTm@pevoyvy, and he quotes Euri-
pides in the Skiron speaking of the hetaerae in
Corinth: ‘‘Some you will win if you give one horse
166
THE “COLTS” OF AMBER
(7dos), some by a pair; some come for four silver
horses, but what they like is virgins from Athens
when you bring many.”’ (Prof. P. Gardner, Pollux’
Account of ancient coins. Num. Chr., 3d Series,
Vol. I, p. 294.)
9?, O. Ravel, ‘‘Notes on some rare Pegasi of my collec-
19>,
20.
vA
22:
23;
24.
20,
tion,’’ Num. Chr., V ser., 1926, 24, p. 305.
The Magistrates’-signets-theory has been fully dis-
cussed and proved by Lenormant for the series of
tetradrachms of Athens only; it may be possible that
even in other series like Metapontum, for instance,
the meaning of the symbols is connected with the
mint-magistrates, but it is a mistake to generalize.
If this theory was not generally accepted and was
a new one to be applied to the Ambracian series,
one would certainly be in great difficulties to find
arguments to prove it.
Head; op. .cit. Doaxiv,
Prof. Charles Oman, The fifth-century Coins of Corinth,
Num. Chr., 4th Series, Vol. IX, p. 18.
Babelon, op. cit., T. III, c. 414, 415.
Head, op. cit., p. 25 f.
Prof. George Macdonald, Coin Types, Their Origin and
Development, p. 65 f. In the case of these colts,
the principal type being in common with the mother-
city and the other colonies, the symbol was a kind of
secondary type and therefore it was this that
represented the wapdanuov of the town.
G. H. Hill, Ancient Methods of Coining, Num. Chr.,
Sth series, Vol. II, p. 1 f.
6*. Against this conclusion there would be only one argu-
ment and this was kindly given to me by Mr. C. T.
Seltman, to whom I explained the case.
He supposes that one die was in constant use for a
couple of years and then put aside and only used oc-
casionally, when other dies were not at hand. This
fee COLTS OF AMBRACIA — 167
clever hypothesis is easily contradicted by the fact
that only 1 and 5 are found with other dies. If die
A was used during a certain period, only occasion-
ally, we should find couplings with A as anexception,
and couplings with another obverse should be the
norm, which it is not.
29. The Club is quite exceptional for Ambracia and this
is why the two coins 29 and 30 (Pl. III) were con-
sidered as being of Dyrrhachium.
30. Revue Numismatique, IV Ser., T. II, 3, Tr. 1907,
Dc2o:
31. Prof. P. Gardner, A History of Ancient Coinage, p.
SPOR SEL:
31°. The present series shows very strange anomalies; see
here, p. 91 and p. 166.
32. Athena’s head, the constant type of all the colts, has
received different names. Fr. Lenormant (Rev.
Num., t. XI, p. 73) thought it might represent the
armed Aphrodite of which Pausanias saw a statue
in the Acrocorinth (Paus., II, 4,6). E. Curtius sup-
ported this opinion. Imhoof-Blumer (Die Miinzen
Akarnaniens, p. 4) discusses it and says that an
Aphrodite with a helmet has never existed and the
only arms that the armed Aphrodite had, was a
shield, which she used as a mirror, as can be seen on
later bronze coins. He states that the head is
undoubtedly the head of Athena.
Babelon (Tr., t. I, c. 809-810) follows the same
opinion and says that ’Agpodirn amo evn does not
mean Aphrodite with a helmet. He sees in the
head, Athena yaduvitis, who had a temple on the
market square in Corinth. This goddess appeared
to Bellerophon and gave him a golden bridle with
which he mastered Pegasos, therefore her surname
xaXduwiris, the goddess with the bridle. This ex-
planation connects the type of the reverse with that
of the obyerse,
168 THE “COLTS” OF Sap rtace
33. The Pegasos is always found on the obverse of the
coins of Corinth and her colonies. On the colts
of South Italy and Sicily, it is sometimes on
the reverse. This is comprehensible as for these
countries the Pegasos had not the same importance
as for Corinth, the issues being only a kind of
secondary currency, made to satisfy the demands of
trade.
34. G. Macdonald, op. cit., p. 125, says: “‘ Probably it was
due to the widespread popularity of her ‘colts’ that
the Pegasos maintained its position on the obverse,
even after the helmeted head of Athena had joined
it as a companion,” and -at pe 130... =e
(Athena’s) head succeeds to a place that was vacant,
only a single type having been used there pre-
viously.”’
34°. In my “ Notes’”’ previously cited, I have drawn atten-
tion to this peculiarity.
35. See p. 108 (die P 29 and P 30, Pl. IV) and p. 140 (P 86
and P 88—-P 89, Pl. XXII).
35°. Up to date great importance has been given to the
symbols, for the classification of the colts. The
cases described on pp. 9 and 10 prove how danger-
ous this is.
36. When in 1878 Imhoof-Blumer wrote his exhaustive
study ‘‘Die Miinzen Akarnaniens’’ (Num. Zeitsch.,
X) he saw how difficult it is to classify the colts,
chronologically, according to their appearance, and
how necessary it would be, for this kind of attempt,
to collect as many originals and casts as possible in
order to examine and compare all the dies (p. 69).
This, in an epoch when nobody thought of study-
ing the coins through their die-combinations, is
quite remarkable and Imhoof-Blumer should there-
fore be considered as the precursor of the system.
37. Head, op. cit.; py liv.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44,
45.
46.
47.
48.
49,
50.
pe
D2.
33:
54.
Pee WOT S: OF AMBRACIA — 169
Babelon, op. cit., t. I, c. 913.
G. Macdonald, Fixed and loose dies. Corolla Numis-
matica, p. 183 f.
See cut at p. 23.
S. W. Grose—Fitzwilliam Museum, MacClean Be-
quest, p. 261, n. 5097, pl. 185, 2. This coin is not of
Ambracia but of Leucas.
Imhoof-Blumer, Monnaies Grécques, p. 187, n. 21, and
Gnome -oplt,: 29:
Imhoof-Blumer, Monnaies Grécques, p. 137, n. 21a.
Head, op. cit., p.109. The symbol under the Pegasos
is described as a “‘pellet.’’
Babelon, op. cit., t. IV, c. 142, describes the same coin
as having as symbol a “‘coquillage’’ (shellfish).
See cut at p. 23.
Head and Babelon give this coin to Dyrrhachium be-
cause the club symbol is generally considered as
the tapacnpuoy of this town.
Hirsch attributes this coin to Dyrrhachium, following
the Cat. of the B. M.
Grose, op. cit., p. 261. This Nike is taken for the Eros
binding the olive-wreath round the helmet (pl. X,
118 a).
In the Egger catalogue this coin is placed under
Dyrrhachium and the Nike is described as crowning
Athena. That the Nike holds a fillet and not a
wreath, is clearly visible on 36 a, pl. III.
On this coin there is a kind of crescent to 1.; it is prob-
ably only accidental.
See cut at p. 23.
Babelon, op. cit., t. IV, attributes this coin to Alyzia
following Imhoof-Blumer, and again to Ambracia
following Head.
Imhoof-Blumer attributes this coin to Alyzia owing to
the bow, and the following to Argos because of the
dog. These coins prove that it is dangerous to take
the symbols as a guide for the classification.
170
Do:
36.
Dd
58.
59.
62.
63.
63°.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
THE “COLTS “OF AMP net
Babelon describes the coin as having the obverse from
the same die as 291. This is certainly a mistake as
the coin corresponds to our 129 d, and the obverse is
AcSs. PECL,
Although this figure is very like to the Eros we often
find on Greek vases (cf. Apulian vase in Bari re-
produced in W. H. Roscher, Lexicon der Griechischen
und Rém. Mythologie; p. 1181, f. 7) it may be the
same local hero as the winged dolphin-rider on coin
19 plex
The following coin in the same catalogue, 5119,” Pl.
186, 4, is a colt of Argos.
Babelon describes the symbol as a bee and in his
footnote 5 indicates that the coin is 23 of the Cat.
of the B. M., pl. XXVIII, 5. This coin has a cicada
for symbol and is our 141, pl. XIII. That the sym-
bol represents a fly is proved by the large globular
eyes and the abdomen, which are not those of a bee.
The following coin in the same cat., 5107, pl. 185, 12,
is a coin of Leucas.
C. T. Seltman, The Temple Coins of Olympia, pl. V,
die 6¢.
The following coin illustrated by Babelon on pl.
CCLXXXII, f. 6, is not of Ambracia but of Leucas
(B. M.C., 85, pl XX AVA, tas
Cf. Num. Chr., V ser., 24, p. 314.
Babelon describes this symbol as a branch of ivy, and
Head as a climbing-plant. See p. 115.
The aspect of the A prompted Head to attribute this
and the following coin to Anactorium.
Babelon places this coin under Anactorium, after Head;
the obverse illustrated on pl. CCLXXVII, 20,
does not belong to the coin; it is an obverse of
Argos.
The letter beneath the Pegasos is A, not AM.
The first letter of the ethnic is certainly A and not 4\ as
it is reported in the catalogue; this peculiar form of
alpha is found only on much later coins.
Pee eos OF AMBRACIA’ r71
69. Behind the Athena’s head M does not exist, and be-
neath the Pegasos there is only A and not the mono-
gram.
69%, This specimen is described by Imho f-Blumer in
““Griechische Miinzen, p. 550, pl. II, 16. He
supposes the = to be a sigma and being the same
letter as on other colts of Leucas, Ambracia, Dyr-
rhachium and Corinth, he thinks it may be the
initial of ouupaxia or cuypaxtxovy. The colts with
the sigma would therefore be considered as alliance
coins.
70. The obverse illustrated on Pl. CCLXXXI, 20, does
not belong to this coin, but to 21 (Pl. XVI, 174).
We are obliged to point out all these mistakes,
probably due to misplacing of the plaster casts,
because cases like the above would completely upset
the established die-sequence, if they were correct.
71. Cousinéry, Essai Historique, p. 161. The girl is de-
scribed as a copy of the Venus Callipygos. This
extraordinary suggestion is surprising in a numis-
matist like Cousinéry.
72. Imhoof-Blumer, Nymphen und Chariten auf Griech-
ischen Miinzen, J. Int. d’Arch. Num., T. 11, 1908,
p. 79.
73. Head, op. cit., p.104. The obverses of coins 5 and 6are
not described because the type corresponds to the
heading, only the peculiarities are noted. Babelon
thought on the contrary that these two obverses
were the same as the previous one with AM, while in
reality there is only an A on the Pegasos’ hind-quar-
ters. This is naturally very important, and if these
two obverses really had AM, they would belong toa
quite different period.
74. W. H. Roscher, Lexicon der Griechischen und R6m.
Mythologie, B. I., p. 444, Apollo’s attributes.
172. THE “COLTS” OF AMPA.
75. Obverse illustrated on Pl. CCLXXXI, 12, does not
belong to the coin 130a; it is die A 53. This is
another misplaced plaster-cast like the above men-
tioned (note 70).
75%. When I wrote the previously mentioned ‘‘Notes’”’ I
knew two specimens only of this coin and thought it
therefore rare,
76. The name APA@G6O2 is not off-flan as Grose supposes,
but over the head of the river-god; it can be seen
onl i6a;y. Pi Xe
78. This staff is clearly visible on coin 135 C; it réaches to
the top of Ambrax’ head-gear.
79. The symbol is described as a ‘‘serpent coiled round un-
certain object’’; this is the only case where it has
been recognized.
80. Cousinéry, op. cit., was the first to see a swan on the coin
and he carefully illustrated the bird on Pl. IV, f. 7.
81. Cousinéry, op. cit., p. 160, Pl. 1V,f.9. Mionnet, 3me
Suppl., 30 and 31.
82. Eckhel, Numi Veteres Anecdoti Musei Caesarei
Vindobonensis, p. 123, pl. VIII, 19.
83. We supposed that this exceptionally light coin, in good
preservation, was plated, and as we know of no other
plated colt, this might have been interesting. Dr.
K. Regling kindly informs us that the light weight
is due to the oxidation and that the coin is certainly
not plated.
84. Babelon places the coin under Leucas and calls the
symbol a lobster, but as the claws are missing it is
no doubt a shrimp.
85%. Mr. Vlasto saw this coin among those that composed
the Ionian-shore find (1908). If the dating of the
find is correct, this coin should be of at least 365-—
360 B.C. and therefore the beginning of the fifth
period should be earlier than 360 B.C.
85. The Temple Coins of Olympia, p. 94.
O27.
99.
96.
97.
98.
99:
998,
100.
101.
102.
103.
104.
105.
Peer ose sOr AMBRACIA 173
. Curtius, Studien zur Geschichte von Korinth, Hermes,
ibs Beat, pez43.
. Grose, op. cit. The symbol is partly off-flan and is
questionably identified as a winged boar.
. The obverse placed near the reverse of 20 on pl.
CCLXXI belongs to this coin.
. The leaves are the same as those on the branch on coin
93,7 Pig VILL
. Babelon describes the flower as a poppy.
. On the specimen in Berlin the inscription is off-flan.
eaveron. ope cic... .,.1V,¢. 3/, Pl: CCLXXII, 5.
Cf. my “‘Notes,’’ p. 307.
. Naville sale, VII, 1924 (Bement).
. Naville sale, XII, 1926 (Bissen).
J. Babelon, Cat. de la Collection de Luynes, pl. LX XI,
1886. This coin is from the same dies as 1, Pl.
XIX.
Hermes, Band 2, Heft 2, 1875, p. 234.
Prof. Oman, op. cit., Num. Chr., 4th Series, Vol. IX,
D530.
G. F. Hill, Ancient Methods of Coining, Num. Chr., V
ser., Vol. II, p. 30 f.
mee cat, >. NX), pl. ll, n. 6; 19 and 20... Mr. Noe re-
marks that similar earrings are found on coins of
Metapontum.
Gardner, op. cit., p. 371, 2, 3.
Prom Oman, op. (cit. pl. XXVII, N. 14 and 15.
These coins are evidently made by the same artist.
Prof. Oman dates this issue to 432-431 B.C. It is
more probable that they belong to an earlier date.
Head? op. cit., p. 106,17.
Head, op. cit., p. 109, 49.
Imhoof-Blumer, M. Gr., p. 137, 21.
Babelon,op: icit., T. IV, C..125, 267.
I owe this hypothesis to my good friend Mr. M. P.
Vlasto, who suggested that the two animals may
symbolize two towns at war.
i
174 THE “COLTS OFFA eee
106. Babelon, op. cit., T. I, c. 643. The lexicographers
called the yeAXSvac of Aegina, “‘yxedwvn, vouropa
TENOTOVYNTLAKOV.”
107. E. Curtius; op. cit, ya22e
108... Thue., 1,108:
108*. H. B. Earle Fox, Early coinage of European Greece,
Corolla Numism., p. 39.
108. It will be observed that-we speak of turtle while in
reality the animal in the coils of the serpent is a
land-tortoise; this is due to the fact that turtle is
really not the exact translation of xeNwvyn as this
word is generic and means both the sea-turtle and
the land-tortoise.
109. Roscher, op. cit., I B., p. 1303 f.
109°. It is well known that the serpent as well as the owl
was the symbol of Athena and Athens.
110. E. Curtius, op. cits po 2a
111. Babelon, op. cit., T. III, c. 397. After the ruin of
Aegina by the Athenians, the coins of Corinth spread
all over the Peloponnesus, and the “‘colts’’ took the
place of the ‘‘turtles’”’ in this part of the Greek
World. 7
112. Head, op. cit., p. 106, 16. It is certainly a mistake
that in describing the head of Athena he should say:
‘“wearing a leather cap.”’ The only coin of this type
with neck-guard is our N. 14.
113. Head, op. cit., p. 106, 17, 18;
114, Monn. Gr., p. 137, 21.
115. Num. Chr., 1926, Fifth Series, 24, p. 309.
116. C. T. Seltman, The Temple Coins of phe ba p. 34,
117. Head, op. cit, p. 100:
118. See p.
119. Head, op. cit., p. 141, n. 4, and p. Ixviii.
120.; Babelon, op. cit., t. [Vy c.gieo ae
120°. Revue Numismatique, IV ser., T. 8, p. 112.
120. Daremberg & Saglio, Dict. des Ant., Gr. et Rom.,
art. Infula.
Et;
122.
125;
124.
125.
126;
127.
128.
129.
130.
is
132.
Poo S ~ OF AMBRACIA ~ 175
That these fillets were made of wool is confirmed
by some bronze coins of Phocis (cf. Babelon Tr., pl.
CCV, 17 and 20), on which we see a fillet, no doubt
the Delphic one, tied round the bull’s horns and
hanging down on both sides of the head.
This fillet corresponds probably to the red
woollen fillet of the same shape that is still in use in
southern Italy round the horns of the oxen, em-
ployed as a protection against the evil eye—a sur-
vival of the Greek apotropeion.
ce Poole..&. M. Cat., Italy, p. 313, 88.
Daremberg & Saglio, Dictionnaire des Antiquités Gr.
et Rom., art. Incensorium.
Imhoof-Blumer, Die Miinzen Akarn., p. 79. Hesup-
poses the symbol to represent a kind of rattle. We
have seen that the instrument was used by swinging
it to and fro; this would not be the best way to make
it ring. If the end of the fillet was a bell it would
have been more convenient to have it tied to a rigid
rod, and the greatest ringing effect would have been
obtained by shaking it, rather than by a swinging
movement.
Head, op. cit., p. lvi. Preller, Gr. Myth., 4th Ed., p.
276. M. Collignon, Histoire de Ja Sculpture
recites tl.) p. 103...-Babelon ‘Tr.,.t: IV, ¢. 138.
Head, Hist. Num., p. 270.
Head, B. M. C., p. 104, 3 and 4.
Head, op. cit., p. 32.
Derek skerine,Z.t. N., XX XIII, p. 51-f,
M. P. Vlasto, Alexander, son of Neoptolemos, Num.
new y sera cell), U1, p.-182.
Seltman, op. cit., p. 163.
Mum. «chr,,-41926,.V Ser., PI. IV, p. 314.
This peculiarly shaped alpha is generally found on ar-
chaic coins only. In Ambracia on the contrary some
of the archaic colts have the usual civic initial A
with the straight crossbar (see 1, 2 and 3, Pl. I) and
176 THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
not until later is the crossbar slanting—sometimes
upwards to left and sometimes upwards to right.
This archaic letter A is found often even on very
late colts; it can be considered as a local form of the
civic initial.
It is remarkable that Ambracia should have em-
ployed for this purpose an archaic letter, copying
even in this her mother-city.
This A corresponds to the 9 (koppa) that is
found on all the coins of Corinth and that is still her
characteristic initial long after this archaic letter
had been abolished and replaced by the K.
1332:, BVM, Gat.) plies
134. E. Babelon, op. cit., t. IV, p. 91, 194.
1352.5 Ma Cate pati.
136. W. H. Roscher, op. cit., p. 1358.
137. B. M. Cat., p. 104. These coins are placed immedi-
ately after the archaic ones.
139. B. M. Cat., pl. XXXIV, AG anders.
140. Num: Chr,,; 1926, V-Ser.) PlLaiVj ae
141. Imhoof-Blumer, Nymphen und Chariten, J. I. A. Ni,
pn BE eagle
141%. Vlasto in his TAPAY OIKIZTHZ, Num. Notes and
Monographs 15, p. 130, illustrates a nomos of his col-
lection inscribed TARANTINON on the obverse and
TAPANTINON on the reverse. It is remarkable
that one side should have both the archaic R and O
while the other side has P and 2. This case proves
how little we can rely on epigraphic considerations
for the dating of coins.
142. Cousinéry, Essai, p. 160, 8.
143. Similar corrections on Greek and Roman coins are
known; cf. G. F. Hill, Ancient Methods of Coining,
l.ic., p. 25, where several cases are quoted.
144. Oberhummer, op. cit., p. 223.
144°, Mr. Newell observes that in Amphipolis the race-
torch is certainly connected with the Apollo’s head
of the obverse.
145.
146.
147.
148.
149.
150.
ti.
$52,
153%
154.
155;
is?
158.
159.
160.
167.
162.
163.
eee COSY OF AMBRACIA 177
Imhoof-Blumer, Miinzen Akarn., p. 29, 31.
Mitteilungen d. Rém. Inst., 1886, p. 222.
eM Cate piv.
Imhoof-Blumer, Nymphen und Chariten, l.c., p. 79.
Dictionnaire des Antiquités Gr. et Rom., III, p.
867, f. 4306.
B. M. Cat., p. 106. 18 is placed between 17 of the
II period and 19 of the V.
J. N. Svoronos, Stylides, Ancres Hierae, Aphlasta,
Clem aba oN, te 1G, 1914, p. 133... C. Carapanos;
OD, Cit. p:.153:
In the catalogue of the Pozzi Coll., 1783 (from the
Hirsch sale, XX XI), the Pegasos is described as
having AY onits hind-quarters. This is certainly a
mistake; there is only an A, which stands for the
civic initial, as does the 9 on some Corinthian sta-
ters, placed in the same way (B. M. Cat., pl. IV, 10).
R. Rochette, Annali dell’Inst. di Roma, t. I, p. 312,
216. 1. Bbapelon, op.-cit., t. FV, c. 131.
E. Curtius, St. zur-Gesch. v. K., l.c., p. 230. Preller,
Aufsatze, p. 431.
M. P. Viasto, TAPAS OIKIZTH2. Num. Notes and
Monogr., No. 15, p. 5.
M. P. Vlasto, TAPAY OIKIZTH2S. Num. Notes and
Monogr., No. 15, p. 6.
This staff was taken for a lance, but no point can be
seen on either of the two known specimens.
Wigeto, Op: cit-. pr v2, pi. III.
Imhoof-Blumer, Fluss- und Meergotter auf griech.
und rém. Miinz., p. 219, 5, Taf. IV, 14. Die Miinz.
Akar., p. 91, Monnaies Grécques, p. 138.
Bt. Cat: p. lv,
i; Babelon, op. cit., t. IV; c. 135, 136.
Bam. Cat.,-p: lv.
Riggauer, Eros auf Miinzen, Zeits. f. Num., VIII B.,
1881, p. 74 f.
178 THE “COLTS” OF AMER Ra.
163%, Roscher, Lex. Gr. und Rém. Myth., p. 479.
164, Cro pais:
167. E. Babelon, op. cit., t. IIE, ¢ 434, pl CCoeii awe
’ 168. E. Babelon, op. cit., t. IV, ec. 135.
169. W. H. Roscher, op. cit., c. 677.
170. W. H. Roscher, op. cit., c. 1697.
171. Prof. C. Oman, The Fifth Cent. Coins of Corinth.
Cf. p. 10 of the present work.
172. B. M. C., p. 108, 35 and 36. There is no A; but A
over the helmet.
173. See here p. 94.
174. S. Reinach, Repertoire des Vases Peints, t. IV, p. 371,
Porat
175°. A strikingly similar boy is depicted on a marble slab
from Epidaurus in the Athens National Museum.
Cf. TO EN AOHNAIZ EONIKON MOTZEION, pl.
LXVII, 1424, and described by Svoronos on p. 146
as young Asklepios (?). (Cf. S. Reinach, Repertoire
de Reliefs gr. und rom., t. II, p. 323, 3.) q
176. Arch. Zeitsch., 1850, p. 160.
177. Evans, op.cit..p. 92:
178. W.-H. Roscher, II B., p: 7. - Arist., Ran., p'395.
179. W. H. Roscher, II B., p. 3. Nonn., Dionys., 48, 951.
180. E. Babelon, op. cit., t. IV, pl. CCLXXI, f. 22, 23, 24,
25. Num. Chr., 1926, V Ser.,.p. tv, pho 2 ees
181. Oberhummer, op. cit., p. 231.
182. C. Carapanos, op. cit., p) 133.
183. C. Carapanos, op. cit., p. 166... Dionys, Hal; Hist.
Rom., I, 14.
184. J. N. Svoronos, Stylides, etc., I.c., p. 150.
185. S. Reinach, Repertoire de la Statuaire Gr. und Rom.,
t. IV, pl. 1, f. 1. Kekulé, Dodona, pl. I.
186. Oberhummer, op. cit., p. 72.
187. 3me Suppl., 30, 31.
188. B. M. Cat., p. lvi.
189, Evans, op. cit., p. 76.
free Gist oe OF AMBRACTA — 179
190. E. Babelon, op. cit., t. IV, c. 139.
191. Tapoov éixripernr, 60 6 wore IInyacos tos
Tapaov adels Xwpw Altrev obvova, THuos ad’ iaToV
"es Atos téuevos mécev Hows BeAdXepodédrrTns.
Dionysius the Periegete, 869 f.
192. J. Eckhel, Numi Veteres Anecdoti ex Museis Caesareo
Vindobonensi, p. 124.
193. Evans, op. cit.,p.106f. M.P. Vlasto, Alexander, son
of Neoptolemos, l.c., p. 200 f.
194. J. N. Svoronos, Stylides, etc., l.c., p. 139.
195. The Temple Coins of Olympia.
196, Curtinss St: zoG.v. K., Le, p. 242.
197. Evans, op. cit., p. 142.
1978. The breaking of these dies is probably due to the
fact that the metal was brittle owing to insufficient
annealing of the tempered steel. (Cf. S. W. Grose,
A Decadrachm by Kimon, Num. Chr., IV ser., 1916,
p. 130.)
198-6, M > Cate, p. 105;
199. J. G. Droysen, Geschichte des Hellenismus, III T.,
p. 101.
200. Cousinéry, op. cit., Pl. IV, n. 6.
201. In Paris there is another coin (Corinth 366 a) which is
really a coin of Argos, with the same head wearing
a conical pilos, added to the reverse.
201°. A typical instance of the danger of this kind of
forgeries is given by the tetradrachm of Gela
formerly in the Pozzi collection (435). This coin,
a common one, of well-known dies, has three large
pellets, added by the same man, on the reverse.
Nobody doubted that these pellets were genuine and
Mr. Giesecke in his “‘Sicilia Numismatica”’ illustrates
the coin on pl. 9, 5,and at p. 12 says: ‘‘ These three
pellets, undoubtedly marks of value, mean that this
tetradrachm corresponds to three heavy diachms of
the Euboic towns, and considerations based on this
‘premise follow.”
180. THE “COLTS” OF wiv aia
202. L. O. Th. Tudeer, Die Tetradrachmenpragung von
Syrakus in der Periode der signierenden Kiinstler,
Zeit, f. Num., 1913; p 2 hoe
202°. Cf. Atti e Memorie dell’Istituto Italiano di Numis-
matica, Vol. IV, p. 8, where Prof. P. Orsi mentions
some of G.’s forgeries.
204. W. Schwabacher, Mitteil. der Bayer. Num. Gesell-
schaft, Frankfurt, 1925.
206, B: M.:Cate pexx,
207. Babelon; op. cit;, tollly cecae.
208. G. F. Hill, The Frequency-table, Num. Chr., Fifth
Ser. Vol. Wy peeii ci
209. Gardner, History of Ancient Coinage, p. 376.
210. Die Miinz. Akarn., p. 48.
211. Die Miinz. Akarn., p. 88, 90.
212...Grose;op. cits, “PE ss senor
213. Die Miinz. Akarn., p. 88.
214°, BAM: Cat.ipy ine
215, Num: Chr., V Ser, Vol view, 5, 6.
>
5 ie
ae
. ia ty note at
“ ‘f vo
‘ i
- ‘
.
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
luc -
an
PEATE-I
,*+2 748
16a
A
P10
P12
21
20a
Ss
™
a,
THE 4‘COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
PUCALE, I]
A12
a
ea
-
, Cd
- :
a
“
sae Se ee ee ee ee ee ee ee oo ee ee | ee eee ee, ee ee ————r lO
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
PLATE “Ll
A18
P18 P19
P24
THE
OO be
OF AMBRACIA
ra
wes
a. “ ~ a
I ee a ee ee ee
a, Pn
<<’ *
BEALE SLy
“
Le | 4 i
-
Je
‘.
«
ir
a) %
x r X ‘
5 * r
~ +
1
1 A
ry Me
%
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a
+
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c
."
3
+
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THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
55d 56a 7 57a
Bier
vane ae Sie ’ : ; Paes: : —e
Pe A ee i ee a ee
THE “COLTS” OF AMSRataa.
PEAtTh? Vi
64a
'70c
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRAGTIA
73a
72a
P46
P53
PLATE VII
75d
75a
74a
P47
$1
THE. COLTS
OF AMBRACIA
7 Se ee ee ee
PLATE VIIl
THE
OUT ae
OF AMBRACIA
Sas
et) id
oe 4
— a
LS ee
_.--) =
Cte te os
ed I
PLATE IX
“
THES CORTS?
Abg
OF AMBRACIA
116a
es ee. ae
PLATE X
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
PLA, XL
‘
‘
7
- .
¥
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
PEAT EXIT
*
OF AMBRACIA
AOS Ee,
THE
146a
145
144
PLATE XIII
i
4
THE “COLTS”
OF AMBRACIA
»
een:
‘3
a PLATE XIV
.
cen
’
awh =
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
A71
162a
PLATE XV
a
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
A777
PLATE UAV)
178a
177a
176a
J ; ‘
ee ee Te, eee ee ee ee Ls Sati
183a
4 ~
we
Nee
THE 2 COLTS. 5.0% AMBRACIA
oo I ee ee en ea
4
3
4
= .
at
e i
ee ae Ce
PLATE AVI
THE “COLTS” OF AMBRACIA
- eee?” __
PEATE XVI
ry, 0 hi co
ee a
Pe ee Sa Sa : ee Sy:
Stes
OF AMBRACIA
THE ?OLTS;
PLATE. XIX
NumisMAtic Notes AND MONOGRAPHS
1. Sydney P. Noe. Coin Hoards. 1921. 47 pp.
6 pls. 50c.
4. Howland Wovd. The Mexican Revolutionary
Coinage. 1913-1916. 1921. 44 pp. 26 pls.
$2.00. .
6. Agnes Baldwin. Five Roman Gold Medallions.
102%, 2105 pp. 8 pls. » $1.50.
7. Sydney P. Noe. Medallic Work of A, A. Wein-
man. 1921. 31pp. 17pls. $1.00.
8. Gilbert S. Perez. The Mint of the Philippine
Islands. 1921. 8pp. 4pls. 50c.
9. David Eugene Smith, LL.D. Computing Jetons.
1921. 7Opp. 25 pls. $1.50.
10. Edward T. Newell. The First Seleucid Coinage
of Tyre. 1921. 40 pp. 8pls. $1.00.
11. Harrold E. Gillingham. French Orders and
Decorations. 1922. 110 pp. 35pls. $2.00.
12. Howland Wood. Gold Dollars of 1858. 1922.
Lipp. .2' pls. 50c,
13. R. B. Whitehead. Pre-Mohammedan Coinage of
N. W. India. 1922. 56 pp. 15 pls. $2.00.
ee its
8 pls. $2.50.
rders of Chivalry
146 pp. 34
21
°
22.
23.
24.
aoe
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31,.
32.
33.
34,
35.
rAaG:
aes r “
Numismatic Notes AND MonocraPus
cS (Cqarpnad?
4
Edward T. Newell. Alexander Nicacdatt
Antdritsaena. 1924. 39pp. 6pls. $1.00.
C. T. Seltman. A Hoard from Side. 1924. 20
pp. 3pls. $1.00. tot at ee
R. B. Seager. A Cretan Coin Hoard. 1928 55
pp. 12 pls. $2.00. ©
Samuel R. Milbank. The Coinage ‘of ah Seige
1925. 66pp. Spls. $2.00. J
Sydney P. Noe. A Bibliography of Greek Coin
Hoards. 1925. 275 pp. $2.50. r
Edward T. Newell. Mithradates of Parthia ote
Hyspaosines of Characene. 1925. 18 pp. 2 pls.
50c.
Sydney P. Noe. The Mende (Kaluniige) Sonu!
1926. 73 pp. 10 pls. $2.00.
Agnes Baldwin. Four Medallions roe the Arras
Hoard. 1926. 36pp. 4pls. $1.50.
H. Alexander Parsons. The Earliest ion of
Norway. 1926. 41 pp. 50c. 4
Edward T. Newell. Some Unpublished Coins of
Eastern Dynasts. 1926. 21 pp. 2 pls. 50c.
Harrold E. Gillingham. Spanish Orders of Chiv-
alry and Decorations of Hi GuolEe: aid 165 _
pp. 40 pls. $3.00. | Z
Sydney P. Noe. The Coinage of ‘Messpeseag i
1927 (Part I). 134pp. 23 pls. $3.00.
3 pls. $1.00.
Edward eae The Second and Third Seleucia we
Coinage of Tyre. 1927. 33 pp. 4pls. $1.50. —
Alfred R. Bellinger. The Anonymous Byzantine
Edward T. Newell. Two Recent Egyptian
Hoards—Delta and Keneh. rae ah Apo. !
Bronze Coinage. 1928. 27 pp. 4pls. $1.50.
Harrold E, Gillingham. Notes ou the Decorations — |
and Medals of the French Colonies and Protec- _ =
torates. 1928. 62 pp. 31 pls. $2.00. *