Type 33: Eros with Aphrodite Anadyomene

The classic type of Aphrodite Anadyomene represents the naked goddess, who has just emerged from the sea, pressing the water from her outstretched hair—here (left), a magnificent though unfortunately headless statue in Rome. 

Eros attending the Anadyomene is found on coins of Bithynium-Claudiopolis (perhaps), Caesareia Germanica and Prusa ad Olympum in Bithynia; Bagis in Lydia; and Laodiceia ad Lycum in Phrygia.

Some of the coins are really more of a “semi-Anadyomene”, where the goddess uses just one hand for her hair (right, a mosaic that shows a slightly more domestic version of Aphrodite’s toilette).

All the coins are extremely rare.

* Bithynium-Claudiopolis in Bithynia, an uncertain coin of Julia Domna reported by Waddington from Mionnet, though “non revue”.

* Caesareia Germanica in Bithynia, a coin of Geta as Augustus (not illustrated). There are similar coins of Diadumenian (Waddington, Recueil général, 24, and in trade) without a clearly discernible Eros.

* Prusa ad Olympum in Bithynia, a coin of Geta as Augustus (not illustrated), with a hippocamp r. behind Aphrodite.

* Bagis in Lydia, coins of Caracalla (not illustrated) and Geta. Aphrodite has her r. hand to her hair, and is holding out her l. with an apple; three Erotes are playing at her feet.



Æ 27, as described above (Illustration from Bernhart).

 





* Laodiceia ad Lycum in Phrygia, coins of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius as Caesar (not illustrated), or with head of Demos as obverse type (not illustrated), all with Aphrodite standing between Eros and a dolphin.

 

25.89 g. Obv. AY[.....A]ΔPIANOC ANTΩNINOC. Laureate head r. Rev. Π KΛ ATTAΛOC ANEΘHKE ΛAOΔIKEΩN. Aphrodite Anadyomene standing facing, head r., Eros on the l., a dolphin on the r. (Photos courtesy of Münzen und Medaillen GmbH).



 




* Here the goddess is stretching out her hair to dry on a lead tessera of the Roman period (photo courtesy of Gert Boersema):
 

CATALOGUE

Bithynium-Claudiopolis / Julia Domna [?]

Reference: Waddington, Recueil général, p.273, footnote 2 
Rarity: RRR (if genuine)

Caesareia Germanica / Geta
Reference: Bernhart, Aphrodite, 275
Rarity: RRR

Prusa ad Olympum / Geta 
References: Waddington, Recueil général, 115; Bernhart, Aphrodite, 285
Rarity: RRR

Bagis / Caracalla
Reference: SNG Leypold 914 
Rarity: RRR

Bagis / Geta
References: Bernhart, Aphrodite, 277; SNG von Aulock 8219 
Rarity: RRR

Laodiceia ad Lycum / Demos
Reference: RPC IV, 2, 2135*
Rarity: RRR

Laodiceia ad Lycum / Antoninus Pius
Reference: RPC IV, 2, 11598*
Rarity: RRR

Laodiceia ad Lycum / Marcus Aurelius
Reference: RPC IV, 2, 2092*
Rarity: RRR