I just got this coin delivered and spent a portion of the morning IDing it. [From CNG et al]: "The Mamertinoi ("sons of Mars" or Mamertines) were a force of Oscan mercenaries who attacked and captured the city of Messana. The Mamertines were Campanian mercenaries who had been hired by Agathokles of Syracuse. After his death in 289 they found themselves at loose ends; some returned home but others decided to stay on in Sicily. In an act of base treachery they took the city of Messana in 288, killing the men and dividing the women among themselves. They then began preying on all nearby cities and became serious pests in general, so much so that they were attacked by Hieron II of Syracuse. Hieron defeated them but was forced to withdraw when the Mamertines received aid from Carthage. Tiring of Carthaginian control, the Mamertines appealed to Rome: this action led to the First Punic War (264-241) in which Rome ultimately defeated Carthage and gained both naval superiority and control over most of Sicily. During this period the Mamertines disappeared, most being either killed or assimilated. Their coin types celebrated their martial qualities: on the obverse is Ares/Mars, god of war, and on the reverse we have a warrior Dioskouros (one of the twins) and his horse. At the end of the First Punic War it was a free city allied with Rome. In Roman times Messina, then known as Messana, had an important pharos (lighthouse). Messana was the base of Sextus Pompeius, during his war against Octavian ." Sicily, Messana, The Mamertinoi (211-208 BC) AE Pentonkion Obverse: Laureate head of Ares left, helmet to right. Reverse: MAMEPTINΩN. Nude Dioskouros (or warrior) standing left, holding spear and leading horse left placing hand on head of horse; Π (mark of value) to left. References: Sear 1143, SNG ANS 427 Size: 26mm, 12.9g Do you have one like this? Or another one from Messana or the Mamertinoi? Please share!
Very cool coin @Justin Lee I really like it. The Mamertines are one of the most interesting groups in ancient history in my opinion. I have one coin of theirs, but would love to get more. Mamertines AE Pentonkion, 288-278 BC, Messana mint. 26.5mm 16.893g Obv: ARES, laureate head of Ares right, uncertain control symbol behind (off flan). Rev: MAMERTINWN, eagle with spread wings standing left on a thunderbolt. SNG ANS 402
Congrats great coin Justin, like the dioscuri on the reverse, Pollux or Castor ? Interesting Ptolemy eagle on the reverse of TheRed's coin, was there a link with Egypt ? Only have one coin of the Mamertines:
Also have only one, a Mamertini Pentonkion: 26 x 28 mm, 13.07 g; struck in Sicily, Messana, after 288 BC, ca. 220 - 200 BC Reference: Copenhagen 464; SNG ANS 441; CNS I 41; HGC 2, 853; Calciati 34; BMC 26; Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus r. Π to r. Reverse: MAMEPTINΩN on the left; Naked warrior wearing helmet, advancing r. with spear in his r. hand and shield in l. Σ behind right calf "Mamertine wine" from the vineyards of northeastern tip of Sicily was the favorite of Julius Caesar and he made it popular after serving it at a feast to celebrate his third consulship.
These are nice chunks of mercenary bronze. I have one kinda like it. SICILY, Messana. The Mamertinoi AE Pentonkion. 11.5g, 27.8mm. SICILY, Messana, the Mamertinoi, circa 211-208 BC. CNS 25: SNG Cop 446; HGC 2, 849. O: Laureate head of Ares left. R: MAMEPTINΩN, warrior standing left, holding spear and leading horse left; Π (mark of value) to left. And from mercenaries to pirates. Here’s the Pharos of Messana: ROMAN IMPERATORS, Sextus Pompey AR Denarius. 3.76g, 18.9mm. Sicily, 40-39 BC. Crawford 511/4; Sydenham 1348; Sear, Imperators 335. O: The Pharos of Messana surmounted by a statue of Neptune; in foreground, galley left adorned with legionary eagle, sceptre and trident; MAG PIVS IMP ITER around. R: Scylla left, wielding a rudder in both hands; PRÆF CLAS ET ORÆ MARIT EX SC around. Ex Andrew McCabe Collection, privately purchased from John Jencek, 2011
I'm really pleased! I ended up adding 2 more Mamertinoi coins to my collection yesterday: This one I've seen many have across the CT board. I really like this one's detailed reverse (though still showing some mild wear) as you can see the 6-pack and even some of the detail of the face remains, like the nose the eye indent and almost looks like he is smiling. Plus, the back of the shield and his arm is pretty cool. Sicily, Messana, The Mamertinoi, (220-200 BC), AE Pentonkion Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right, dotted border around. Reverse: MAMEPTINΩN, warrior advancing right, wearing helmet and holding shield and spear; Π (mark of value) to right; dotted border around. References: CNS 41, SNG ANS 441 Size: 29x26mm, 11.7g When I bought this one, it didn't have its size listed and I had assumed it was a quadruple unit at like 27mm. But when I received it, it ended up being only 22mm and 8g, a Double Unit... I only found two at this size listed on ACsearch: https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=23128 https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=1373991 Sicily, Messana, The Mamertinoi, (288-278 BC), AE Double Unit Obverse: APEOΣ, Laureate head of Ares right; spear head behind. Reverse: MAME-P-TINΩN, Eagle standing left on thunderbolt. References: SNG ANS 401; Calciati I pg. 91, 2 Size: 22mm, 8.0g ------ And I know that this next coin isn't a Mamertinoi and is from the Italian mainland rather than Sicily, but it's from similar timeframe as the above and probably played a part in what was going on in that area during the time, so I thought I'd share. Plus, it's my first man-headed bull and that's pretty cool, and it's a more uncommon variety of the reverse with lyre above rather than the more common Nike flying. Campania, Cales, AE21, Struck 265-240 BC Obverse: CALENO, laureate head of Apollo left; behind, cock standing right. Reverse: Man-headed bull standing right; lyre above, Δ below. References: SNG Morcom 75 var, HN Italy 436, SNG ANS 175 var, Laffaille 12 var, BMC 14 Size: 21mm, 6.36g Note: Rare without ethnic on reverse. Same obv/rev dies as CNG inventory #750588. https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=59665
SICILY, Messana. The Mamertinoi. 211-208 BC. Æ Pentonkion (25mm, 11.63 gm, 1h). Obv: Laureate male head (of Ares?) left. Rev: Horseman, holding spear and with drapery around left arm, leading horse left; Π to left. Särström series XI, A; CNS 25; BAR issue 24; SNG ANS 430. Ex Coin Galleries Internet Sale March 2009, lot 28.
MAMERTINI: Sicily Mamertini 264-241 BCE AE Pentonkion Zeus Warrior Shield Spear Merc Samnites- Messana Sicily Messana Mamertini 288-278 BCE AE 28 16-8g Ares - Bull Butting Sicily Messana Mamertinoi 211-208 BCE AE Pentonkion Male Head Horseman Sicily Mamertini 288-278 BCE AE Pentonkion Mars-Eagle Mercenary Samnites Messana
@Alegandron when I was doing my research for my new coin (on ACSearch and other online resources, and not books), they were mostly saying the date for this Pentonkion was 220-200 BC, but yours you list as 264-241 BC. I am wondering if you know more about that and if you could share and educate me?
@Justin Lee When I was researching my Pentonkion the first date I found was: after 288 BC. Then I found in acsearch and wildwinds 220-200 BC, but at https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=151 ithere is one dated 264-241 BC but another one at http://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=search&cat=0&pos=330 dated 220-200 BC According to Full text of "A Study In The Coinage Of The Mamertines" https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.279434/2015.279434.A-Study_djvu.txt on p.6 we can read that the Mamertines were able to maintain their position as an independent state up to the arrival of the Romans in 264 BC, thus at he outbreak of the first Punic War. on p. 14: Gardner divided the coins into 3 groups; first group comprising coins without any mark of value, second group coins with mark of value and 3rd group without mark of value but judging from the style belonging to a later period. Head follows the work of Gardner dividing the coins into two periods: First period extending from the capture of Messana by the Mamertines about 282 BC to the fall of Syracuse about 210 BC and comprising coins without marks of value, and second period from about 210 BC consisting of coins with value marks. According to this reference and since it says that this classification has remained practically unchanged, I think that dating the type of coin ca. 220 - 200 BC follows Gardner and Head because it has marks of value. Coins minted around 264 - 241 BC should not have a mark of value.
@Justin Lee and @cmezner : Thanks for the research. I captured this from a Naville auction a few years ago, and this was the original attribute: Sicily, Mamertini AE Pentonkion circa 264-241, Æ 26mm., 10.61g. Obv: Laureate head of Zeus r. Rev: MAMERTINΩN Warrior advancing r., holding spear and shield; in r. field, Π. Hammer 75GBP Fully Loaded USD138 Ref: SNG ANS 441. Calciati I, 41. Comment: Attractive green patina. Good Very Fine. Ex: From the E.E. Clain-Stefanelli collection. Unfortunately, I could not see the pics on Forum as it showed nothing to display. However, I do agree, and need to reattribute it as the Pentonkion HAS a PI mark of value. Thanks for the heads-up guys!
In looking at the plates in the document you linked to, this double unit appears on Plate II, listed as Series I Group B (p 204), and (Series I) is discussed in the text, pp 57-65 (pdf page numbers). And the author narrows down the dating further, stating: "Assuming that the Mamertines began to strike these coins shortly after their arrival at Messana, we are probably not far wrong if we fix the approximate date of the issue of the coins in Series I between about 288 and 285 B. C."
@Justin Lee, @Alegandron thank you so much for your input. There is so much information in the reference I think each one of us has to find the matching series description and the date when the coins were struck. I looked through the plates (the pictures are not so good) with Zeus & warrior and I think that mine is Series XVI, Group A, type a (reader p. 139 or pdf p.121), Plate XXXVII, average weight 10.91(mine is a bit heavier); on pdf p. 125 they conclude that this series was struck from about 212 to 210 BC.
Strongly recommend Dan Carlin's telling of the Mamertine story in his "Punic Nightmares" series: https://www.dancarlin.com/product/hardcore-history-punic-nightmares-series/ Hold that coin in your hand while listening. It will make your hair stand up on end.
