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Phanes coins

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Revision as of 15:22, 6 October 2021 by Caeciliusinhorto (talk | contribs) (→Religious interpretation - prophecy: remove completely: this is at best WP:OR and at worst nonsense.)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) This article is about a coin issuer. For other uses, see Phanes (disambiguation).
Electrum coin from Ephesus, 625–600 BC. Obverse: Stag grazing right, ΦΑΝΕΩΣ (retrograde). Reverse: Two incuse punches, each with raised intersecting lines.

Phanes name is attested on a series of early electrum coins, the most ancient inscribed coin series at present known, of Caria, Asia Minor. This group of coins has a Greek legend reading "Phaenōs eimi sēma" (ΦΑΕΝΟΣ ΕΜΙ ΣΕΜΑ) (retrograde) which can be translated either as "I am the badge of Phanes" or as "I am the sign of light" or maybe "I am the tomb of light" or "I am the tomb of Phanes". The celebrated coins of Phanes are known to be amongst the earliest of Greek coins, a hemihekte (a twelfth stater) of the issue was found in a jar in the foundation deposit of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (this deposit is considered the oldest deposit of electrum coins discovered). Only six specimens of this coin type are known.

Possible identifications for "Phanes"

Electrum coin from Ephesus, 625–600 BC. Stag grazing right, ΦΑΕΝΟΣ ΕΜΙ ΣΕΜΑ (retrograde, “I am the badge/sign/tomb of Phanes/light”).

No further certain information exists as to the identity of the Phanes named on these coins. One possibility is that Phanes was a wealthy merchant, another that the coins bearing the name are to be associated with Apollo-Phanes and, due to the Deer, with Artemis (twin sister of the god of light Apollo-Phanes). Although only seven Phanes type coins were discovered, it is also notable that 20% of all early electrum coins also have the Lion (symbol of Artemis-Potnia Theron) and the sun burst (symbol of Apollo-Phaneos). Alternatively it is stated that the inscribed Phanes maybe was the Halicarnassian mercenary of Amasis, Phanes of Halicarnassus, mentioned by Herodotus, who escaped to the court of Cambyses, and became his guide in the invasion of Egypt in the year 527 or 525 BC. According to Herodotus, this Phanes was buried alive by a sandstorm, together with 50000 Persian soldiers, while trying to conquer the temple of Amun–Zeus in Egypt nearby the ancient cities of Abydos, Tahta and Nag Hammadi. The fact that the Greek word "Phanes" also means light (or lamp), and the word "sema" also means tomb, makes the coins issued in the name of Phanes famous and controversial.

See also

References

  1. "Electrum stater inscribed with the name of Phanes". British Museum. 2011-09-29. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
  2. Newton (Num. Chron., 1870, p. 238
  3. For the translation of "sēma" as tomb, see "ΣΕΜΑ ΦΡΑΣΙΚΛΕΙΑΣ"
  4. https://museum.imj.org.il/exhibitions/2012/whitegold/Animals.html
  5. https://lsj.gr/%CF%86%CE%B1%CE%B5%CE%BD%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%82
  6. For the translation of "sēma" as tomb, see "ΣΕΜΑ ΦΡΑΣΙΚΛΕΙΑΣ"
  7. "Full text of "The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society"". Retrieved 2012-05-21.
  8. Herodotus third book (ch. iv.)
  9. Herodotus third book
  10. Nag_Hammadi_library#Discovery
  11. Iliad 2.814, 6.419
  12. "Ancient coinage of Ionia". Snible.org. Retrieved 2012-05-21.
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