Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies Cambridge University Press Review Author(s): Andrew Burnett Review by: Andrew Burnett Source: The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. 106 (1986), p. 258 Published by: Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/629730 Accessed: 29-10-2015 19:27 UTC
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This content downloaded from 132.174.254.155 on Thu, 29 Oct 2015 19:27:27 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
258
NOTICES OF BOOKS
in providingfor thecitizens'generalobligationswithin NOE (S. P.) The coinage of Metapontum. With the state. additionsandcorrectionsby A. Johnston.2 parts Thereis a need for a work to concentrateon the in I. (AmericanNumismaticSociety,numismatic betweenthe coinsas objectsandthe social notes and monographs,32 and 47.) New York: relationship worldwhichgavethembirth,to seekforthereasonsfor American Numismatic Society. 1984. Pp. theirappearance and to view the functionsthat they ix+ 120, [23] plates.$32.00. enjoyed.This book does not thoroughlyexplorethe facts,andit will not be the lastword. The coinageof the southItaliantown of MetaponMARTIN PRICE tum was originallythe subjectof two monographsby BritishMuseum S. P. Noe; partI, publishedin 1927,coveredthe incuse coinagefrom the mid-sixthto the mid-fifthcentury; part II, publishedin 1931, coveredthe double relief ROSEN COLLECTION. Early Greek coins from the coinagefrom the mid-fifthto the mid-fourthcentury. collection of Jonathan P. Rosen. By N. M. A thirdpart,dealingwith the lastsilverissuesdown to Waggoner.(Ancientcoins in North American the early third century, was promised but never collections,5.) New York:AmericanNumismatic appeared.Muchnew evidencehasappearedin the last Society.1983.Pp. [iv]+55, 28 plates.$35.00. fifty years, particularlynew hoardswith important chronologicalinformation,and Noe's two studies coinsare deservethethoroughoverhaultheyhavebeengivenby Althougha smallnumberof fourth-century includedin thiscatalogue,the title is apt enough.The AnnJohnston,who is also to produce(separately) the leanSNG formulais used,with minimalexpansionby finalpartof the series. It is no criticismof the qualityof thisnew editionto way of bibliographyand occasionalcommenton die links and attributions.Early,or earlier,electrumand saythatit seemsmisconceivedto printagainNoe's text Cyzikenesarevery well represented, comprisingsome and platesexactly as they were originallypublished, 30percentof the770coinsherepublished,manyforthe togetherwith J.'s extensivecorrectionsand additions. firsttime;it is salutaryto reviewthewiderangeof types So extensiveare these that the presentbook is very andweightsin the earlymaterial.The restof Ioniaalso difficultto use, andit requiresa good dealof effortto figuresstrongly;the heading'Iona'shouldnot mislead, workout the correctplaceof a coin in the sequence,or northetotalomissionof headingsforChiosandKnidos its date.A completelynew editionwould havebeena (before605 and 631). For 537 (horse/incuse stater)the much better idea, and it seems a pity that the older attributionto Kyme is preferredto the newer opportunityhas been missed to present the new Carianniche,andsomethinggrievoushashappenedto arrangement in a formsufficiently clearto encourageits 599, whoseweight andlegendarenot in the text, the use,particularly by non-numismatists. outcome,one suspects,of some kind of transposition Themainadvancesin thestudyof Metapontine coins with 644; are both Kamirangriffin/incuse issues?669 havecomebecauseNoe's die-studyhasallowedprecise seemsdesperatelyhigh in weight for a half siglos;is identification of the coinswhichhaveturnedup in the therea printingerror?Possiblyalso for 503, which is numerousnew hoardsof the last fifty years.It is by freshbutverylow at 2-27gr. fora Cyzikenehekte?247 buildingon these,and some significantnew die-links, and248 arealsoat the lowerend of the Milesianstater thatJ.hasbeenableto alterthe relativearrangement of rangeat I3-4. The attributionof chariottetradrachms the material(the new sequencefor the doublerelief like Iso to Olynthoshas been rightly questionedby coinagehasundergonea virtuallycompletetransformaCahn,but the weight suggestsa colonialissuerather tion) and to adjustthe absolutedatingby linkingthe than simply 'an uncertainmint in Macedonia'.14 is new arrangementinto datable hoards. The main important in having the legend Sirinos, without changesarea loweringof thedateof theincusecoinage Pyxoes, but W. is perhapsoverconfidentin assuming by about20years,anda loweringof theendof partIIby the identitywith M. Sirino.Some legendshave been some 20 years,fromabout360 to about340. Thislast in thetext (57,640, 750);'dotted dateis obviouslyaboutcorrect,and will no doubtbe slightlymisrepresented theta'is misleadingasa descriptionof the 'solardisc'on discussedagainin the proposedpartIII,but the exact the Macedonian88. Two significantlegendsareon the datingof coinageat thisperiodhasbeenmuchdiscussed Cypriot746and'Potidaean'Io8;thelatter,XEP,would recently(seeJ.'sarticlein CoinHoardsVII),mainlyin a be alphabetically as unlikely(thoughnot impossible)at Tarentinecontext,andstillseemsto havedifficulties, Potidaea,and the fact that one of the few known J. is aware. exampleswas foundon Imbrossuggeststhe Thracian J.'s 'additions'are much more than that, and Chersonese(from where anotherrarity,135, comes). incorporate the resultsof much work, particularly on Amongthe types,the assumptionthatNike is depicted the fourth-century hoards:theseareon the whole not on the Carian619seemshazardous, while I do not seea well publishedand their utility has been greatly diskeleson 4o6; for 764-5 add LIMC I Acheloos94. diminishedby the hazinessof the detailedarrangement Thisis an interestingcollectionwith rarities;collotype of Evans'thirdperiodof Tarentinecoinage.In both mayhavebettersuitedthedetailof thesmalldies;andas theserespects,J.'s workhasa valuewell beyondjust the everit is to be regrettedthatso very few of the pieces coinageof Metapontum.It providesa reliable guideto havea knownprovenance. thehoards,it givesa rationalif tentativeframeworkfor ALAN JOHNSTON the fourth-centurycoinage of Tarentumand has a University CollegeLondon particularsignificancefor the chronologyof all south Italiancoinageof the fourthcentury.One hopes the promisedthirdpartwill appearsoon. ANDREW
BritishMuseum
This content downloaded from 132.174.254.155 on Thu, 29 Oct 2015 19:27:27 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
BURNETT
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies and Cambridge University Press are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Journal of Hellenic Studies.
http://www.jstor.org
This content downloaded from 132.174.254.155 on Thu, 29 Oct 2015 19:27:27 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
258
NOTICES OF BOOKS
in providingfor thecitizens'generalobligationswithin NOE (S. P.) The coinage of Metapontum. With the state. additionsandcorrectionsby A. Johnston.2 parts Thereis a need for a work to concentrateon the in I. (AmericanNumismaticSociety,numismatic betweenthe coinsas objectsandthe social notes and monographs,32 and 47.) New York: relationship worldwhichgavethembirth,to seekforthereasonsfor American Numismatic Society. 1984. Pp. theirappearance and to view the functionsthat they ix+ 120, [23] plates.$32.00. enjoyed.This book does not thoroughlyexplorethe facts,andit will not be the lastword. The coinageof the southItaliantown of MetaponMARTIN PRICE tum was originallythe subjectof two monographsby BritishMuseum S. P. Noe; partI, publishedin 1927,coveredthe incuse coinagefrom the mid-sixthto the mid-fifthcentury; part II, publishedin 1931, coveredthe double relief ROSEN COLLECTION. Early Greek coins from the coinagefrom the mid-fifthto the mid-fourthcentury. collection of Jonathan P. Rosen. By N. M. A thirdpart,dealingwith the lastsilverissuesdown to Waggoner.(Ancientcoins in North American the early third century, was promised but never collections,5.) New York:AmericanNumismatic appeared.Muchnew evidencehasappearedin the last Society.1983.Pp. [iv]+55, 28 plates.$35.00. fifty years, particularlynew hoardswith important chronologicalinformation,and Noe's two studies coinsare deservethethoroughoverhaultheyhavebeengivenby Althougha smallnumberof fourth-century includedin thiscatalogue,the title is apt enough.The AnnJohnston,who is also to produce(separately) the leanSNG formulais used,with minimalexpansionby finalpartof the series. It is no criticismof the qualityof thisnew editionto way of bibliographyand occasionalcommenton die links and attributions.Early,or earlier,electrumand saythatit seemsmisconceivedto printagainNoe's text Cyzikenesarevery well represented, comprisingsome and platesexactly as they were originallypublished, 30percentof the770coinsherepublished,manyforthe togetherwith J.'s extensivecorrectionsand additions. firsttime;it is salutaryto reviewthewiderangeof types So extensiveare these that the presentbook is very andweightsin the earlymaterial.The restof Ioniaalso difficultto use, andit requiresa good dealof effortto figuresstrongly;the heading'Iona'shouldnot mislead, workout the correctplaceof a coin in the sequence,or northetotalomissionof headingsforChiosandKnidos its date.A completelynew editionwould havebeena (before605 and 631). For 537 (horse/incuse stater)the much better idea, and it seems a pity that the older attributionto Kyme is preferredto the newer opportunityhas been missed to present the new Carianniche,andsomethinggrievoushashappenedto arrangement in a formsufficiently clearto encourageits 599, whoseweight andlegendarenot in the text, the use,particularly by non-numismatists. outcome,one suspects,of some kind of transposition Themainadvancesin thestudyof Metapontine coins with 644; are both Kamirangriffin/incuse issues?669 havecomebecauseNoe's die-studyhasallowedprecise seemsdesperatelyhigh in weight for a half siglos;is identification of the coinswhichhaveturnedup in the therea printingerror?Possiblyalso for 503, which is numerousnew hoardsof the last fifty years.It is by freshbutverylow at 2-27gr. fora Cyzikenehekte?247 buildingon these,and some significantnew die-links, and248 arealsoat the lowerend of the Milesianstater thatJ.hasbeenableto alterthe relativearrangement of rangeat I3-4. The attributionof chariottetradrachms the material(the new sequencefor the doublerelief like Iso to Olynthoshas been rightly questionedby coinagehasundergonea virtuallycompletetransformaCahn,but the weight suggestsa colonialissuerather tion) and to adjustthe absolutedatingby linkingthe than simply 'an uncertainmint in Macedonia'.14 is new arrangementinto datable hoards. The main important in having the legend Sirinos, without changesarea loweringof thedateof theincusecoinage Pyxoes, but W. is perhapsoverconfidentin assuming by about20years,anda loweringof theendof partIIby the identitywith M. Sirino.Some legendshave been some 20 years,fromabout360 to about340. Thislast in thetext (57,640, 750);'dotted dateis obviouslyaboutcorrect,and will no doubtbe slightlymisrepresented theta'is misleadingasa descriptionof the 'solardisc'on discussedagainin the proposedpartIII,but the exact the Macedonian88. Two significantlegendsareon the datingof coinageat thisperiodhasbeenmuchdiscussed Cypriot746and'Potidaean'Io8;thelatter,XEP,would recently(seeJ.'sarticlein CoinHoardsVII),mainlyin a be alphabetically as unlikely(thoughnot impossible)at Tarentinecontext,andstillseemsto havedifficulties, Potidaea,and the fact that one of the few known J. is aware. exampleswas foundon Imbrossuggeststhe Thracian J.'s 'additions'are much more than that, and Chersonese(from where anotherrarity,135, comes). incorporate the resultsof much work, particularly on Amongthe types,the assumptionthatNike is depicted the fourth-century hoards:theseareon the whole not on the Carian619seemshazardous, while I do not seea well publishedand their utility has been greatly diskeleson 4o6; for 764-5 add LIMC I Acheloos94. diminishedby the hazinessof the detailedarrangement Thisis an interestingcollectionwith rarities;collotype of Evans'thirdperiodof Tarentinecoinage.In both mayhavebettersuitedthedetailof thesmalldies;andas theserespects,J.'s workhasa valuewell beyondjust the everit is to be regrettedthatso very few of the pieces coinageof Metapontum.It providesa reliable guideto havea knownprovenance. thehoards,it givesa rationalif tentativeframeworkfor ALAN JOHNSTON the fourth-centurycoinage of Tarentumand has a University CollegeLondon particularsignificancefor the chronologyof all south Italiancoinageof the fourthcentury.One hopes the promisedthirdpartwill appearsoon. ANDREW
BritishMuseum
This content downloaded from 132.174.254.155 on Thu, 29 Oct 2015 19:27:27 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions
BURNETT
