Type 56: Eros or Erotes with Tyche or other Personifications

Eros is shown with Tyche on coins of Aegeira in Achaea and Midaëum in Phrygia.

* Aegeira in Achaea, coins of Plautilla showing Eros r., holding a long sceptre, facing Tyche l., holding a long staff and cornucopiae; between them, a burning altar. The BCD Collection specimen is holed, and BCD himself has added a charming comment in the auction catalogue: “Tyche and Eros, what a meaningful combination! This coin was surely pierced and carried as an amulet (probably suspended with a cord around the neck) by someone who wished to be lucky in love. If we judge by the amount of wear it has it seems to have produced good results.”

 

 

 

Obv. ΦOYΛBIA ΠΛAYTIΛΛA. Draped bust of Plautilla r. Rev. AIΓEIΡATΩN. As described above.






* Midaëum in Phrygia, coins of Caracalla, Severus Alexander (not illustrated), and Maximinus I (not illustrated), showing Tyche seated on a rock; on the Severus Alexander coins she is accompanied by Eros and the river-god Tembris, on those of Caracalla and Maximinus I by two Erotes with torches.

Obv. ANTΩNEINOC AYΓOYCTOC. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla r. Rev. MIΔAEΩN. As described above.
Note: I made no record of the origin of the photographs of this coin. If the owner of the images or of the coin would be so kind as to contact me, I'd be happy to add an appropriate acknowledgement (or delete the images if required). 

* Erotes also appear on coins of Prymnessus in Phrygia of Gordian I (not illustrated) and Gallienus, riding on hippocamps below a figure of Dikaiosyne enthroned. Prymnessus, situated at a crossroads, was a busy trading town, and Dikaiosyne with her scales was a common type on its coins. The legendary Midas was claimed as founder, and it is not inconceivable that the scales (for weighing gold) were also a reference to him.

 

Æ 35, 7 h, 16.16 g. Obv. AYT KAI Π [ΛIK] ΓAΛΛINOC [sic], in field C-EB. Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gallienus r. Rev. ΠΡYM[N]HCCE, ΩN in field. Dikaiosyne wearing polos and holding scales enthroned l.; Nikai to l. and r.; Erotes riding on hippocamps in exergue.

 

 

 

 * Antiocheia in Pisidia, coins of Gordian III with Annona seated r., holding a palm-branch and with her l. arm resting on the bows of a ship, an Eros hastening towards her. Why the ship, on a coin of an inland city? Pisidian Antioch was a place of some importance, and presumably involved not only in river trade—the river-god Anthios figures on its coins—but with the coastal cities too. 

Æ 34, 7 h, 23.06 g. Obv. IMP CAES M ANT GORDIANVS AVG. Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust of Gordian III r., seen from behind. Rev. ANTIOCHIA COLONIA CAESARIA, SR in exergue. As described above

CATALOGUE

Aegeira / Plautilla

References: LHS, auction 96: Coins of Peloponnesos: The BCD Collection, 422.4;  Imhoof-Blumer & Gardner, Ancient Coins Illustrating Lost Masterpieces of Greek Art (A Numismatic Commentary on Pausanias), p.91 and Plate S, ix
Rarity: RR

Midaëum / Caracalla
Uncertain source, see note above

Rarity: RRR 

Midaëum / Severus Alexander

Reference: RPC VI, 5728*
Rarity: RRR 

Midaëum / Maximinus I

Reference: RPC VI, 5734*

Rarity: RRR

Prymnessus / Gordian I
Reference: RPC VII, 1, 776
Rarity: RRR

Prymnessus / Gallienus
Reference: von Aulock, Münzen und Städte Phrygiens II, 1143-47; BMC 36
Rarity: Scarce   

 

Antiocheia Pisidiae / Gordian III
Reference: RPC VII, 2, 2693
Rarity: Common