LESBOS, Mytilene. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ Medallion (42mm, 49.11 g, 6h). Cornelianus, son of Philôtas, strategos. Good Fine.

Electronic Auction 537
Lot: 306. Estimated: $ 300

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Sold For $ 350. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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LESBOS, Mytilene. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ Medallion (42mm, 49.11 g, 6h). Cornelianus, son of Philôtas, strategos. AYTOKPA KAI MAPKOC AY ANTΩNЄINOC, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / ЄΠI CTP KOPNHΛIANOY TOY ΦIΛΩ Λ ΦIΛΩTA MYTHIΛHNAIΩN, Tyche seated left on throne, holding patera and xoanon of Dionysus. Unpublished. Leu Web 14, lot 966. Dark green-brown patina, cleaning scratches, deposits, smoothed with details enhanced. Good Fine. Extremely rare.

A xoanon is a wooden sculpture of Dionysus which was discovered by fishermen off the coast of Lesbos. It was described by Pausanias; 'I am going to tell you a Lesbian story. The fishermen of Methymna found that their nets dragged up from the sea a face made of olive wood. Its appearance suggested a touch of divinity, but it was foreign and unlike the features of Greek gods. So the Methymnians asked the Pythia what god or hero it portrayed, and she instructed them to worship Dionysos Phallen. Whereupon the people of Methymna kept for themselves the wooden image out of the sea, and worshipped it with sacrifices and prayers, but they sent a bronze copy to Delphi.' (Paus. 10.19.3).

Closing Date and Time: 26 April 2023 at 11:41:40 ET.

All winning bids are subject to an 20% buyer’s fee.