Numismata hellenica: a catalogue of Greek coins; with notes, a map ...

Metal 1
M
JE
JE
JE
M
JE
JE
Size
7-6
7-5
JE 21
Weight I
192-4
ASIATIC GREECE. 137
large theatre which was seen at a distance by Chandler in 1765, as the principal object of interest.
Tripolis answers so exactly in situation to tlie Callatebus of Herodotus (7, 31), that they are probably
one and the same place ; a colonization from three neighbouring towns having perhaps restored Cal-
latebus under a new name when it had fallen into decrepitude.
Bust of Pallas to r. B. TPinOA6ITiiN. Fortune standing to I.
Trajanus,
TPinOA. Bust of Pallas to r., the segis and its serpents appearing in front. U. AY.
KAI. TPAIANOO. Trajan, in military habit, crowning a trophy ; in left hand,
hasta.
AHMOC TPinOAeiTON. Youthful male head to r. B. AYTO. KAICAP TPAIANOO.
Trajan, in military habit, standing to I. ; in right hand, small figure of Victory
to I. ; in left hand, hasta.
Faustina.
AYSTeiNA CeBACTH. Head of Faustina to r. B. TPinOAeiTSiN. River-god,
with usual attributes, seated on the ground to I. ; below, MAIANAPOC.
Another similar.
TRIPOLIS Phcenicije.
Note.— Tripolis derived its name from having received a colony from each of the three Phoenician
cities, Aradus, Sidon, and Tyre, at a time comparatively late, and when the population of these cities
had become in great part Greek. None of the coins of Tripolis have Phoenician legends, nor
are there any earlier than the time of the Seleucidae. But the triple colony must have been
founded before the time of Alexander, being mentioned by Scylax, who asserts that each of the three
populations had a separate wall (Perip. p. 41). In the time of Strabo, this strong distinction of
origin had probably fallen into neglect, as he remarks only that Tripolis had been founded by the
three Phoenician cities (p. 754).
M. Antoniits and Cleopatra.
Male and female laureate heads to r. ; above each, a star (M. Antonius and Cleopatra
in the character of the Dioscuri). R. TPIHOAITiiN THS lEPAS KAI
AYTONOMOY in three lines. Turreted female, in long drapery, standing to I. ;
in
right hand, staff" with crook ; in left hand, cornucopise ; in field to I.,
©EO ; at her feet, NI ; below, AA (year 81) ; all within a wreath of olive.
A^ote.— The Tripolitans dated their autonomy from the victory of Pompey over Tigranes, B.C. C4,
followed by the liberation of all Syria. They were in particular indebted to the conqueror for having
relieved them from their tyrant Dionysius, whom he beheaded. Under Augustus they resumed the
Seleueid sera. The date of this coin, being of the Pompeian sera, is B.C. 33, two years before the
battle of Actium, just about the time when Antony and Cleopatra were exhibiting themselves to the
people of Alexandria in the characters of Osiris and Isis. The Tripolitans, in assimilating them to
their favourite deities the Dioscuri, were under the necessity of softening the strong features of
Antony, but the intention of the obverse cannot be doubtful,
Turreted female head to r. ft. TPinOAOITaN. Diana Venatrix to r.
Heads of the Dioscuri to r. Ri. TPinOAlTilN L. TKG (year 325). Victory, stand-
ing on prow, to r. ;
above prow, MA (year 44).
A^or«.—The former date is of the Seleueid sera, beginning 312 B.C., the latter that of the battle of
Actium (alluded to by the Victory on the prow), 31 B.C. ; both giving a.d. 13, or the year before the
death of Augustus, for the date of the coin.
Busts of Dioscuri, surmounted by stars, to r. R. . PinOA. Female, in long drapery,
standing to I. ; in right hand, ? ; in left hand, cornucopise ; in field to I., ASS
(year 261) ; in field to r,, two letters.
2 m