RPC II, 914

 

Image of specimen #6

 

Coin type
Volume II
Number 914
Province Asia
Subprovince Conventus of Pergamum
Region Lesbus
City Mytilene
Reign Uncertain
Magistrate Sextus ; Andromeda
Obverse inscription ϹΕΞΤΟϹ ΝΕΟϹ ΜΑΚΑΡ
Obverse design bare head of Sextus, right
Reverse inscription ΑΝΔΡΟΜΕΔΑ ΝΕΑ ΛΕϹΒΩ
Reverse design bust of Andromeda, right
Metal copper-based alloy
Average diameter 19 mm
Axis 6, 12
Specimens 9 (7 in the core collections)
Note Not a complete collection of material. Obv. legend was originally read as ending ΜΑΡ(ΚΟΥ), i.e. 'Sextus the Younger, son of Marcus' and ΛƐ[ ], i.e. 'Andromeda the Younger the daughter of Lesbonax' (ZfN 1897), but Imhoof-Blumer (RSN 19, 1913, p. 33, no. 91) corrected the reading and suggested that the last word should be completed ΜΑΚΑΡ(εύς). For the full interpretations of the legend, see NC 1902: Makar or Makareus was the colonist and ruler of Lesbos, which he called Makaria after himself, while his wife was called Lesbos. So the legend mean 'Sextus the new Makareus' and 'to Andromeda the new Lesbos' (so J. Svoronos, RIN 1908, p. 319; F. Imhoof-Blumer, RBN 1909, pp. 235-7). The identities of Sextus and Andromeda are unknown, though as they could be regarded as latter-day founders, they were presumably significant benefactors of the island. For other, later coins of Sextus, see BMC 173-4.

Specimens of this coin type

Number Number Museum Bibliography
1 1     L: 1901,0602.15 NC 1902, p. 334
2 2     Mu SNG 777
3 3     Mu: formerly Lebedus
4 4     B: I-B ZfN 20 (1897), p. 235, pl. X, 25–6, readingΜΑΡ[ΚΟΥ?]
5 5     Leipzig ZfN 20 (1897), p. 235
6 6     ✸ CGT coll. = Naville Numismatics 20, 7 Feb. 2016, lot 276 = Niggeler 2, lot 613
7 7     P: 269
8 8     P: 270
9 9     P: 271