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

44
Metal Size Weight
JE
M
JE
M
M
M
M
M
M
5+
4
o-
5+
183
236
9-1
6-8
58-1
128-9
INSULAR GREECE.
THALASSA Creta.
]}fote.—Saint Paul, sailing along the southern shore of Crete, came to a harbour called oi icoXoi
Xtjiivec, near which was a city named (in the English translation) Lasea (Act. Apost. 27, 8). This
reading seems to receive some confirmation from the Tabular Itinerary, which places a Lisia near the
southern coast, sixteen Roman miles from Gortyna. But there can be little doubt that the Vulgate
" Venimus in locum quondam, qui vocatur Boni Portua, cui juxta erat civitas
is right in its version :
Thalassa ;" for the fair havens still preserve their name in the Romaic form arovc KaXoic Xi/iiiivac,
and coins of Thalassa are not uncommon in that part of Crete. That the city flourished about the
time of St. Paul, is evident from its coins. Some remains of Thalassa are probably still in existence,
though its duration seems to have been short, as its name does not occur among the bishoprics of
the ninth century.
Vespasianus.
AYT. KAI. OYESn. YIIA. TO H (a.d, 77). Head of Vespasian to r. ^.. Jupiter,
seated to I. ; in right hand, fulmen ? left resting upon hasta.
Same legend and type. R. Diana, stepping to r., and with right hand drawing
arrow from quiver ; in right hand, bow ?
Domitianm.
KAICAP AOMITIANOC. Head of Domitian to r. R.
ter,
€£11 NGOKYAOY GA. Jupi-
seated to I. ; in right hand, two ears of corn ;
Note.— In Mionnet (Sup, IV. p. 345)
left resting upon hasta.
occurs a coin of the same emperor and under the
magistrate, with the addition of QaAACOHQN; a form of the gentile differing from all the three
given by Stephanus.
THASUS.
Note.— Among the settlements of the Phoenicians in the .^gsean Sea (Thncyd. 1, 18), none was M
important to that commercial people as Thasus, blest with a fertile soil, and mountains, abounding in
silver. The deities held in the highest honour by the Thasii, appear from their coins to have been
Bacchus and Hercules, both probably introduced by the Phoenicians, and the latter well suited to an
island which was celebrated for its wine. The Phcenicians fuunded a temple of the Tyriau Hercules
in Thasus, and subsequently built a temple of the Thasian Hercules at Tyre. We perceive from the
coins, that the Thasii worshipped both the Indian or bearded Bacchus, and the youthful or Grecian.
The rites and orgies of the latter we may suppose to have been derived from the opposite mountains
of Thrace, whei-e they originated, and from whence they were introduced into Thasus, when the
diminishing productiveness of the Thasian mines prompted the Thasii to obtain possession of a
portion of those argentiferous mountains, on the sea-coast of which they founded Datua (Herodot. 2,
44—6, 47).
Dolphin to I. ; below which, dolphin of smaller size, to r. B. Three-fourths of a
quad, incus., divided into squares, with diagonal lines across them.
Two dolphins,
of equal size ; the upper to r. ; the lower to I. ; around, three globules.
R. Quad, incus., divided into four squares.
Head of Silenus to /•. R. QAil; two dolphins, m opposite directions; all in quad.
incus.— ^Ekctroti/pe from the B. M.
Head of bearded Bacchus, crowned with ivy, to /. R. GABION, in one line to I.
Hercules, half-draped, kneeling on right knee, and discharging an arrow to r. ;
in field to r., bee, or cicada; all in linear square. — Electrotype from the Bihlio-
thique Nationale.
Same type. R. Same type. GABION round the figure ; in field to n, lizard, all in
linear
square, within quad, incus.
Bearded and long-haired Satyr, kneeling on right knee, and holding horizontally
in
his arms a woman with long plaited hair, and in long drapery ; her right hand
held
up, adv. ; her left hanging down ; below, G. R. Quad, incus., divided into
four squares partially incuse.