Type 26: Eros with a Standing Figure of Aphrodite, Clothed

 

Standing Aphrodite is represented in several different ways on ancient coins, often holding the famous apple from the Judgement of Paris and a sceptre, or a dove. Here, on a charming third century B.C. coin from Metropolis in Thessaly, Eros stands next to a figure of Aphrodite Kastnietis and reaches upwards to the dove that she is holding on her outstretched hand-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the reverse of a Roman Republican denarius of Mn. Cordius Rufus, c.46 B.C., Cupid is fluttering behind the shoulder of Venus Verticordia (the goddess being both a reference to Caesar and a pun on the name of the moneyer).

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most famous types is that of the “apocalyptic” Aphrodite, based on a famous statue perhaps by Alcamenes and known in its Roman manifestation as Venus Genetrix, in which the goddess, one breast bared, is holding out her apple and with the other hand lifting her garment to cover her head. The contours of her body are clearly visible through the clinging material of her dress (as in the New Testament, “apocalyptic” refers to revelations!). This type also occurs on Roman imperial issues, as late even as the folles of Galeria Valeria.

 

 

 

 


It is also widespread on Roman provincial coins (here on an AR drachm of Julia Domna from Caesareia in Cappadocia), though mostly without an attendant Eros.

Although Type 26 covers a range of different standing Aphrodites, all the coins are rare, without exception, many of them extremely rare, and only a handful are illustrated here. They include issues from Hadrianopolis in Thracia; of the Magnetes of Thessaly; from Heracleia Pontica and Tium in Bithynia; Magnesia ad Maeandrum in Ionia; Antiocheia ad Maeandrum, Aphrodisias (an obvious city to put Eros on its coins, alongside Aphrodite), Cidramus and Tabae in Caria; Mastaura in Lydia; Perga in Pamphylia; and Adana in Cilicia.
The coins with this reverse type reported from Thespiae in Boeotia, Hermione in Argolis and Caesareia Germanica in Bithynia are all unlikely, though are discussed below.
The standing goddess, with Nike and transverse sceptre, and tiny nude male figure on coins of  Faustina II (RPC IV, 203) and Commodus (RPC IV, 206 and 3150) from Scepsis in Troas might be Aphrodite and Eros rather than Isis and Harpocrates, but no wings are clearly visible.

* Hadrianopolis in Thracia, an otherwise unpublished coin of Commodus sold recently at auction, with an unusual reverse: Aphrodite, clothed or semi-clothed, but in the Pudica posture (see Type 32), is standing facing, head r., on a base or altar with a central door; at the l. extremity of the platform is an Eros l. with downturned torch; at the r. extremity is another (unclear) figure; and a further Eros is floating l. in front of Aphrodite, holding out to her a mirror, apple or wreath.

Æ 25, 9.16 g. Obv. AY KAI Λ AYP KOMOΔOC. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Commodus r. Rev. AΔPIANOΠΟΛΕΙΤΩΝ. As described above (Photos courtesy of G&N, Gitbud & Naumann Münzhandlung München GmbH) .





* The Magnetes (Thessaly), coins of Commodus, with reverse type of Aphrodite Neleia, head to l. or r., with apple and sceptre, a small Eros standing beside her. These “almost barbarous coins” (Imhoof-Blumer) were previously attributed to Magnesia ad Maeandrum in Ionia (in Historia Numorum, Head inadvertently ascribes them to both mints).

* Thespiae in Boeotia, coins of Domitian, with an uncertain female figure standing beside a child or an uncertain object. For illustrations, see RPC II, 268-71 and Triton IX, auction 2006, 618. Unfortunately, none of the images shows a child with wings.

* Hermione in the Argolis, coins of Caracalla, with Aphrodite standing r., perhaps with Eros beside her (according to Mionnet Supplement IV, 162) but probably not, if the illustration in Bernhart (Aphrodite, 106) is anything to go by.

* Caesareia-Germanica in Bithynia, a coin of Julia Domna mentioned in a footnote by Waddington (Recueil général, p.283) with reference to a publication by Mionnet, but “unseen”. And not listed by Bernhart.

* Heracleia Pontica in Bithynia, coins of Julia Domna, Julia Maesa, Maximus and Gordian III, with variations on the theme of Aphrodite turned to l. or r. and Eros reaching out for the apple she is holding.

* Tium in Bithynia, coins of Plautilla and Gordian III. The coin of Plautilla has the delightful detail of a “birdbath” with doves (for a similar motif, see the coin of Seleuceia ad Calycadnum in Cilicia illustrated under Type 30).

* Magnesia ad Maeandrum in Ionia, coins of Julia Domna with Aphrodite standing l., holding out an apple; Eros is behind her, on a column (a statuary type!), and is reaching out to her.

Æ 20, 7 h, 5.20 g. Obv. IOYΛIA ΔOMNA CE. Draped bust of Julia Domna r. Rev. MAΓNHTΩΝ. As described above.






* Antiocheia ad Maeandrum in Caria, coins of Herennia Etruscilla (two variants).

* Aphrodisias in Caria, “pseudo-autonomous” coins issued by Ti. Cl. Zelos, period of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus (2 variants), and without a magistrate’s name, period of Septimius Severus, with the Senate on the obverse, coins of Faustina Junior (issued by Ti. Cl. Zelos, 2 variants) and Julia Domna (issued by Menestheus Isobounos).

* Cidramus in Caria, coins of Elagabalus, with Eros with a torch in attendance on Aphrodite holding the apple. 

* Tabae in Caria, coins of the Antonine period with obverse type of Demos, or of Julia Domna (not illustrated), with Eros flying at Aphrodite's shoulder.

Æ 22, 1 h, 6.37 g. Obv. ΔHMOC TABHNΩΝ. Draped bust of youthful Demos r. Rev. TABHNΩΝ. Aphrodite standing facing, head l., long sceptre in her r. and l. held to her hip, Eros flying above her l. shoulder.

 




* Mastaura in Lydia, a coin of Otacilia Severa, with Aphrodite l. holding the apple, Eros to her l., a dolphin to her r. 

* Perga in Pamphylia, coins of Lucius Verus, Julia Domna and Maximus on which Eros is riding on a dolphin.  

* Adana in Cilicia, coins of Tranquillina, with Aphrodite standing facing, head r., one Eros flying r. to her r. hand (holding out a wreath?), while she is pouring a libation over another Eros seated, head facing, on a cippus to cippus to her front.

Æ 26, 2 h, 9.98 g. Obv. CABEIN TPANKYΛΛEINAN CEB. Diademed, draped bust of Tranquillina r. Rev. AΔPIANΩN AΔANEΩΝ. As described above.

Finally, here is a uniface lead tessera from Ephesus.

CATALOGUE

Hadrianopolis / Commodus
RPC IV, 1, 11167* (this coin)
Rarity: RRR

Magnetes / Commodus (Aphrodite to r.) 
References: RPC IV, 1, 10956*; Bernhart, Aphrodite, 73 
Rarity: RRR

Magnetes / Commodus (Aphrodite to l.) 
References: RPC IV, 1, 4574* (this coin); Bernhart, Aphrodite, 74; Imhoof-Blumer, Zur griechischen und römischen Münzkunde, p.72
Rarity: RRR

Heracleia Pontica / Julia Domna
References: Waddington, Recueil général, 120 f.; SNG Copenhagen 435; SNG von Aulock 380
Rarity: R

Heracleia Pontica / Julia Maesa
References: RPC VI, 3540*
Rarity: RR

Heracleia Pontica / Maximus
Reference: RPC VI, 3561* (this coin)
Rarity: RRR

Heracleia Pontica / Gordian III
References: RPC VII, 2060*
Rarity: RRR

Tium / Plautilla
Reference: SNG von Aulock 968
Rarity: RRR

Tium / Gordian III
References: RPC VII, 2, 2145
Rarity: RRR

Magnesia ad Maeandrum / Julia Domna
References: Schultz, Magnesia, 154-56
Rarity: RR 

Antiocheia ad Maeandrum / Herennia Etruscilla
Reference: RPC IX, 768-69
Rarity: RR

Aphrodisias / Senate (with magistrate’s name, period of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus)
References: RPC IV, 2, 43* (Aphrodite's head l.); 2, 2417* (Aphrodite's head r.)

Rarity: R (RPC IV, 2, 43*) or RRR (RPC IV, 2, 2417*)

Aphrodisias / Senate (without magistrate’s name, period of Septimius Severus)
References: MacDonald, The Coinage of Aphrodisias, types 114, 129; SNG Righetti 942
Rarity: RR

Aphrodisias / Faustina Junior

References: RPC IV, 2, 41* and 2442*
Rarity: RRR

Aphrodisias / Julia Domna

Reference: MacDonald, The Coinage of Aphrodisias, type 83 
Rarity: RR

Cidramus / Elagabalus

Reference: RPC VI, 5393*
Rarity: RR

Tabae / Demos

References: RPC IV, 2, 2744*
Rarity: R

Tabae / Julia Domna

Refetrences: ANS 1944.100.48394; SNG von Aulock 2722
Rarity: RRR

Mastaura / Otacilia Severa

Reference: RPC VIII, 20377*
Rarity: RR

Perga / Lucius Verus

References: RPC IV, 3, 4953*; BMC 30.
Rarity: RRR

Perga / Julia Domna
Reference: SNG Pfalz 4, 318
Rarity: RRR  

Perga / Maximus
Reference: RPC VI, 6166*
Rarity: RR

Adana / Tranquillina

Reference: RPC VII, 2, 3155
Rarity: RRR