Eros and Aphrodite

Eros was not necessarily assumed to be the son of Aphrodite, at least in the earlier Greek period (one version made him the son of Iris, the rainbow, by Zephyr, the west wind), and if he was, the identity of his father was not always clear: Zeus, Hermes, or Ares? In later mythology, however, he is closely associated with Aphrodite, whether as her son, her servant and helper, or her attendant. Sometimes she is surrounded by a plurality of little Erotes, in art, literature and (as we shall see) on the coins too. The anonymous author of a mildly salacious epigram in the Greek Anthology describes a dish with a relief of Aphrodite and the Erotes: “Here are four Loves. One fits the garland to his mother’s brows, one has his lips at her bosom’s fountain, two play at her feet, and the robe covers the place that is next to the thighs of Aphrodite, otherwise wholly undraped” (transl. by W. R. Paton).

Nevertheless, there are many different reverse types on Roman Provincial coins showing Eros together with Aphrodite. In describing these, I’ve chosen to follow the systematic arrangement in Max Bernhart’s study Aphrodite auf griechischen Münzen: Eine numismatische Materialsammlung (Munich, 1936), though sometimes renaming or splitting up his types. Bernhart’s concern was of course with the portrayal of Aphrodite, and Eros does not actually appear on some of his twenty-one types (those given in italics in the following list):

I. Archaic cult-statue of Aphrodite (= Type 25)
II. The goddess clothed: Aphrodite wearing an Attic chiton (= Type 26)
III. The goddess clothed: Aphrodite bearing a figure of Nike (Aphrodite Nikephoros) (= Type 27)
IV. The goddess clothed: Aphrodite with a dove
V. The goddess clothed: Aphrodite seated (= Type 28)
VI. The goddess semi-clothed: the Melian Aphrodite
VII. The goddess semi-clothed: Aphrodite with a shield (Aphrodite of Acrocorinth) (= Type 29)
VIII. The goddess semi-clothed: Aphrodite with a mirror (= Type 30)
IX. The goddess semi-cothed: Aphrodite holding both hands to her hair
X. The goddess semi-clothed: Aphrodite holding her clothing with one hand (= Type 31)
XI. The goddess nude: the Cnidian Aphrodite
XII. The goddess nude: Aphrodite Pudica (= Type 32)
XIII. The goddess nude: Aphrodite Anadyomene (= Type 33) and Aphrodite swimming (= Type 34)
XIV. The goddess nude: Aphrodite with a sword
XV. The goddess nude: Aphrodite crouching (= Type 35)
XVI. The goddess nude: Aphrodite removing her sandal (= Type 36)
XVII. The Judgement of Paris (= Type 37)
XVIII. Aphrodite riding on an animal (= Type 38)
XIX. Aphrodite Urania
XX. Astarte (= Type 39)
XXI. Aphrodite accompanied by other gods (= Type 40)

 
 





Bernhart seems to have overlooked the type of Venus Victrix, a near-naked Venus with the weapons of Mars, and seen from behind, that is commoner on Roman coins, here on a charming denarius of Sabina,

 

but which is very occasionally encountered on Provincial coins, albeit without Eros, as here on a scarce coin of Julia Domna from Serdica.