THE COIN COLLECTOR - World eBook Library

THE COLLECTOR SERIES
prow of a Saurian galley, on which stands a peacock,
symbolical of the goddess. The Roman series preserves
the Greek myths, and not merely those immediately
appertaining; to Samos, but to the legendary history of
its Ionian neighbours.
(aim a.—The most conspicuous points were Cnidus
(the seat of the worship of the Triopian Apollo and
of Aphrodite), Cheronesus, and Halicarnassus, the re-
puted birthplace of Herodotus. Apollo is symbolised
on the money by a lion (as elsewhere), and Aphrodite
by a bull or the prow of a galley. The coins go back
to the sixth century B.C. We may also mention Astyra,
opposite Rhodes, an early seat of coinage. The regal
series, including that of the celebrated Mausolus, extends
from about 391 to about 333 B.C. only. Halicarnassus
was the capital, and this city on its currency perpetuated
the cult of Zeus. The Roman imperial money for the
different centres is considerable both in volume and
interest; it still embodied in its types the local reli-
gious sentiments of the people. We would call atten-
tion to an unique electrum stater of Halicarnassus of
archaic fabric, described by Dr. Head. In connection
with Caria are the more or less adjacent islands, and
foremost Rhodes, of which there is an abundant coinage
in all metals, chiefly conforming to the Rhodian stan-
dard, and commencing in the fifth century b.c. It
comes down to Roman times, and includes some of
Macedonian and Thracian regal types. The fine head of
Helios on many of the obverses was copied from the
colossal statue of Apollo by Chares of Lindus.
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