TY - JOUR
TI - Cult Image or Decor? Options for the Interpretation of Deities on Provincial Coinage from Asia Minor in an Overview of Research History
AU - Filges, Axel
TI - Cult Image or Decor? Options for the Interpretation of Deities on Provincial Coinage from Asia Minor in an Overview of Research History
AB - The interpretation of figures of deities on the reverse of the coins of Asia Minor cities of the imperial period is usually done in several steps. The deity is generally quickly determined. It is difficult, however, to establish the superior intention behind the depiction. Does the figure refer to a real cult statue of the emitting city, is the image ‘only’ a reference to a local cult or was it chosen to symbolise, for instance, political connections of cities?
The essay brings together opinions from 140 years of international numismatic scholarship and thus offers an overview of the changing patterns of interpretation as well as their range in general. In the end, a more conscious approach to the figures of the gods on coins and a more reflective methodological approach are recommended.
VL - 2023
IS - Volume 30
PY - 2023
SN - 1897-3426
C1 - 2084-3909
SP - 235
EP - 272
DO - 10.4467/20800909EL.23.008.17325
UR - https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/electrum/article/cult-image-or-decor-options-for-the-interpretation-of-deities-on-provincial-coinage-from-asia-minor-in-an-overview-of-research-history
KW - coins
KW - cities
KW - Asia Minor
KW - imperial period
KW - figures of gods
KW - cults
KW - interpretations
KW - cult image
KW - statue
KW - temple