Diassarion - Commodus ΔΑΡΔΑΝΙωΝ
| Bronze | 6.76 g | 25 mm |
| Issuer | Dardanus (Conventus of Adramyteum) |
|---|---|
| Emperor | Commodus (Lucius Aurelius Commodus) (177-192) Marcus Aurelius (Marcus Aurelius Antoninus) (161-180) |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
| Years | 166-177 |
| Value | Diassarion (⅕) |
| Currency | Drachm |
| Composition | Bronze |
| Weight | 6.76 g |
| Diameter | 25 mm |
| Shape | Round (irregular) |
| Technique | Hammered |
| Orientation | Medal alignment ↑↑ |
| Demonetized | Yes |
| Updated | 2024-10-10 |
| Numista | N#402910 |
|---|---|
| Rarity index | 100% |
Reverse
Zeus in the form of an eagle, facing, spreading wings, abducting nude Ganymede with Phrygian cap and pedum; Ganymede stroking eagle's head.
Script: Greek
Lettering: ΔΑΡΔΑΝΙωΝ
Comment
Cf. & corr. RPC online 3551, for a coin of Dardanos struck from the same obverse die. This piece apart from completing the obverse legend of the RPC 3552, it indicates that they were both minted during the period that Comodus was Caesar and not Augustus, as noted in RPC.
The tale of Zeus's infatuation with the Trojan shepherd Ganymede is well known: seeing him, and being transfixed by his beauty, Zeus transformed himself into an eagle and carried the youth off from his flocks on Mt. Ida to Mt. Olympus. The scene is found on a number of Roman Provincial issues, primarily from Ilion and Dardanos in the Troad, but known of them show precisely this version: here Ganymede is standing straightly at attention with his legs together, still holding his hunter's lagobolon and wearing his Phyrgian cap, but rather affectionally stroking the eagle's beak. Presumably Ganymede must have realized that his fate was not to be the same as that of the usual member of his flock when carried off by an eagle!
Interesting fact
One interesting fact about this coin is that it features an image of the Roman Emperor Commodus, who was known for his excesses and tyrannical rule. Despite his controversial reign, the coinage issued during his time, including the Diassarion - Commodus (ΔΑΡΔΑΝΙωΝ) coin, remains a popular collector's item among numismatists today.