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

126
Metal Size Weight
M
M
M
M U
4+ 114-4
EUROPE.
FENSERNUM Frentanorum.
Head of Juno adv., as on coins of Croton. R. SEh^^EDHA. Bellerophon spearing
the Chimsera to r.— Electrotype.
Same type. 8. $EM€EP . . Same type.— Electrotype.
Note.—On a coin of Lord Northwick's Collection, published by Millingen (Ancient Coins, p. 27,
Plate II. 8), the legend is exactly as on the first of these two. Millingen attributed the coin to a
supposed Canipanian city on the river Veseris, near Vesuvius, whicli is mentioned by Livy (8, 8).
But whatever resemblance tliere may be in the style of these coins and tliose of Campania, there is
none in their types. The obverse of these resembles exactly the head of the Lacinian Juno on the
coins of Croton, a resemblance wliich has induced both Carelli and Mionnet to attribute some anepi-
graph specimens of them to Croton. But no inscribed coin of Croton has yet been found representing
Bellerophon slaying the Chimsera ; and the Oscan letters oblige us to seek the origin of these coins
far to the northward of the Brettian peninsula towards Samnium. The worship of Juno being peculiarly
Argive, and the mythus of Bellerophon not less connected with Argos than with Corinth, we
are naturally directed for tlie locality of Fensernum to the Diomedean colonies of Apulia, by the Greeks
called Daunia (Strabo, p. 215, &c.). On some of the coins of Hyrina, which was situated opposite
to the Diomedean islands, now the Tremiti islaiids, we find on the obverses the head of Juno adrereey
having the same crown, with a floral ornament between two gryphons (v. Num. Hell. Europe, p. 124),
as on these coins of Fensernum. We may infer, therefore, that in all probability Fensernum, like
Hyrina, was one of the Diomedean colonies. The places to the southward of Hyrina being well
ascertained, Fensernum must have been to the north-westward of Hyrina, where occurred the Fren-
tani, of whom Larinum was one of the chief towns. Possibly Fensernum was the capital of the
Frentani, the name of whose chief city is not found in any ancient authority. These beautiful silver
coins prove that Fensernum was a place of importance; tliey prove also that it was diglossal, the
legend on one of the coins having been ^EUSEDMV in Oscan, on the other SENSEP in Greek. We
are informed by Strabo (p. 242) that the norih-western boundary of the Frentani was the river
Sangrus, which preserves its ancient name, though Orton, now Ortona, which is beyond the San-
grus, was also in their possession. It is not unlikely, therefore, that Fensernum stood on or near
the river Trigno (Trinius) ; for though the Frento (now Fortore) appears to have given name to the
Frentani, there can be no doubt that in Roman times the ancient site on the right bank of that river,
about ten miles from its mouth, was that of Teanum Apulum. The proofs are found in the name
Civitate, a village near which the vestiges of antiquity are found, and in the name Tena attached
to a tributary which joins the Frento opposite to Civitate. Strabo and Cicero concur in placing
Teanum in this situation, the latter in particular, by stating its distance from Larinum to have been
eighteen Roman miles, which accords precisely with the fifteen geographical miles of direct distance
between Larino and the Ponte di Civitate over the Frento. Civitate, we may here observe, agrees
exactly with the word Polls, which occurs in Greece on many of its ancient sites as the modern local
name, in consequence of the very natural custom in the territory of common parlance
every large city to call it in
" the city."
Another, similar, without legend. — Electrotype.
FERENTUM Apulia.
8DEMTDE1 (Frentrei), from right to left. Head of Hermes to I.
under it, tripod; in exergue, 8DENTDEI, from right to left.
B. Pegasus to I. ;
Note.—The resemblance of this name to that of the Frentani might induce one to suppose that it
was their chief town, were we not well assured by Horace (Od. 11, 2) that Ferentum was not far
from his native Venusia.— V. Numismata Hellenica, Europe, p. 159.