Greco-Roman Coin, Mythical APOLLO w/ His Musical LYRE, 2nd Cent. AD, 10-11mm

GRECO-ROMAN COIN

Roman
Provincial “Civic” Coinage

 

Roman Provincial
currency was coinage minted within the Roman Empire by local civic
institutions rather than Imperial authorities. These coins were often
continuations of the original currencies that existed prior to the arrival the
Romans. Although the obverse of these coins usually bore a portrait of the
imperial family, the reverse displayed a local symbol or message, often
representing a monument, a cult, or a myth important to the issuing city, or a
name of the issuing city itself.  Such coins are sometimes our only
surviving evidence for the appearance of monuments, buildings, cults, or even
the cities themselves, and can provide information not known form other
sources.

This coin was minted in the 

ancient
city of Smyrna in what is now the city of
Izmir, Turkey.  It is located in a very
strategic place on the northern Aegean coast of Anatolia.  As a bustling port in ancient times, it
became a prominent city in conjunction with its inland access to trading
routes.  The city was initially settled
around the 11^th century B.C.E. and is known as Old Smyrna. It was
then restored to greater prominence by Alexander the Great in the 4^th
century, known as Hellenistic Smyrna with city fortifications.  After a very destructive earthquake in 178
A.D., the city was rebuilt by emperor Marcus Aurelius and is known as Roman
Smyrna.  Much of the remaining
archeological remains that exist today are from this period.  Remains include the large Roman agora built
upon the ruined Hellenistic structures. Structures include: Faustina Gate,
streets, Basilica, West Stoa, Corinthian
colonnade, Portico, Roman bath, Bouleuterion(council house/town hall), and
Roman theater.

APOLLO

 

Apollo was
a major Greek god recognized at various times in ancient Greek times as the god
of light and the sun; truth and prophecy; healing; plague; music; and
poetry.  In mythology, he was the son of
Zeus.  Apollo was adopted by the Romans
as they often did with other cultures’ religious and cultural icons.  He personified harmony, order and reason and
was associated in one way or another with a long list of subjects: music, poetry,
plague, oracles, sun, medicine, light and knowledge.  He is often depicted wearing nothing and
holding a bow, arrows, lyre, laurel wreath, and/or palm branch.  The ancients built many temples dedicated to
Apollo, the most famous is the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. 

The lyre (Greek – λύρα) is a stringed instrument known for its use in the
classical Greek era.  However,
excavations have uncovered them in ancient Mesopotamia (Iraq) dated to 2500
B.C.  Resembling a harp, the lyre was
strummed with a pick rather than plucked with the fingers.  The number of strings used varied with four,
seven or ten the favorites.  In ancient
Greek mythology, the lyre was often associated with Apollo or Hermes, or a
variety of other mythical deities.  Also
known as a kithara (κιθάρα),
a 7-stringed instrument that has come to mean “guitar”, a etymological derivative
of kithara. 

Here are this small coin's attributes:

IMPERIAL ROMAN Civic Coinage  AE  (10-11 mm, 0.88 gm) 

OBV:  Laureate head of Apollo right

REV:   ZMYΡ , lyre

      Smyrna, Ionia mint         BMC 71ff.      ca 170-105 B.C.E.