jahrbuch numismatik geldgeschichte - Medievalcoinage.com

98 Derek F. Allen
from the south east. For instance, this probably applies to the silver
coins of the Rhineland with a seated figure on the obverse and a horse
on the reverse (B. N. Paris 9378-87), which are dated by the stratified
finds at Alesia to before 51 B. C.; the obverse must be derived
from the imitation drachms of Alexander III which have a seated figure
of Zeus on the reverse. It seems possible, therefore, that the horse
on the Prague type series has south eastern, rather than western, antecedents.
It also seems probable that the Rhineland silver coins and the socalled
Bush type of Switzerland and Bavaria all have some typological
connection with the Prague type prototypes and the coins which go
with them. Thus, B. N. Paris 9408 and 9401 (the latter connected by
the reverse with 9378-87), all Rhineland coins, are to my eye probably
to be associated with nos. 14-17, here illustrated. Similarly the
early Bush type coins, represented by B. N. Paris 9274 and 9275 (compare
9322 and 9340) are to be linked with the same nos. 14-17. At
present I do not know of any evidence to demonstrate the nature of
these links, but they suggest to me that the eventual distribution map
should show a coherent and contiguous distribution as between all of
these types and the Prague type with its prototypes. Perhaps these
associations as a whole suggest that, of the two areas where the Prague
type is found, Thuringia is the more likely home for the prototypes,
but this is, so far, no more than surmise. All one can say with
certainty is that the Prague type proper is not as isolated in time or
geographical context as perhaps Kellner has suggested. An early lst
century B. C. date, at least for the prototypes, seems probable.