Type 28: Eros with Aphrodite Seated

In the Greek period one city in particular, Nagidus in Cilicia, placed Aphrodite and Eros together on a long series of fine-looking silver staters, from the late 5th century through till about a century later. (There are no coins of Nagidus from the Roman period. The city seems to have disappeared, perhaps swallowed up by one of its neighbours, either Anemurium or Celenderis, rather than actually being destroyed.) One side of the coins shows a standing figure of Dionysus; the other, Aphrodite enthroned, with Eros either flying towards her in order to crown her or standing behind her throne (both variants illustrated here).

 

Although the seated Venus with attendant Cupid appears often enough on Roman imperial coins, no provincial city issued as many coins with this motif as Nagidus had previously done. There are just a few specimens, from Aphrodisias in Caria and Laodiceia ad Lycum in Phrygia,. Outside the Roman Empire: A figure of turreted Aphrodite seated l., holding a transverse sceptre and holding an apple over a tiny figure of Eros, appears on coins of Sauromates II (172-211) of the Bosporan Kingdom (RPC IV, 3887, listing 12 specimens, mostly from Russian museums).

* Aphrodisias in Caria, a delightful large Æ of Maximinus I (not illustrated), with a seated Aphrodite, naked to the waist and surrounded by three playful Erotes. The reverse of the coin of (probably) Domitian and Domita that Bernhart identifies as “Aphrodite seated, holding a statuette of Eros” (Aphrodite, 147) is now held to be “Tyche of Aphrodisias seated, l., holding cult statue and sceptre” (RPC II, 1225).

 

* Laodiceia ad Lycum in Phrygia, a huge medallion naming the Asiarch L. Aelius Pigres (time of Caracalla), with Demos (features of Caracalla) on the obverse and reverse type of Aphrodite seated l., holding a patera and a sceptre, a tiny Eros with outstetched arms before her. 

 

Æ 43, 6 h, 45.16 g. Obv. ΔHMOC ΛAOΔIKEΩΝ [...?]. Laureate bust of Demos right, with slight drapery; countermark: laureate bust right within incuse circle, indistinct lettering (= GIC 42, probably time of Severus Alexander). Rev. [...Λ A]IΛ ΠIΓPHTOC ACIAPXOY  Γ, in ex. ΛAOΔIKEΩΝ NEΩKOPΩN. As described above.

 

CATALOGUE

Aphrodisias / Maximinus I 
Reference: RPC VI, 5366*
Rarity: RRR 

 

Laodiceia ad Lycum / Demos (time of Caracalla)

Reference: RPC V, 2, 68364*

Rarity: RRR