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View Full Version : Greek world shield symbols - sources offered.



kaptainplanet
08-05-2014, 11:23
Hello everyone.

This summer I was in my homecity Athens, and visited the Numimatic museum. I thought that the most likely guess about which symbols each city-states/leagues' hoplites' shileds had on, is that they were the same as the symbols on the coins, meaning the symbols of the corresponding area.

So, I took lots of pictures of coins, along with noting down their area of origin, from the Black Sea to Asia Minor, and Greece proper to Sicily.

Should I post them on here, or are you guys already sufficiently covered on that issue?

Yavana
08-05-2014, 17:20
I would be happy if you could post them, even though, unfortunately, I am not a member of EB Team

I_damian
08-05-2014, 21:32
Yeah I'd like to see your pictures too!

Alcibiade
08-05-2014, 22:41
Same here :-)

V.T. Marvin
08-06-2014, 00:19
Even if the pictures will not end up being used for EB2 units, they would still enrich the community with the knowledge, so yeah, feel free to post it here and be sure that it would be much appreciated. :2thumbsup:

kaptainplanet
08-06-2014, 22:40
Ok, here goes my pics. The choice of which coins i photopahed was made with EB needs in mind, and according to a mix of the following criteria:

1) CONDITION OF THE COIN. Generally bad or medium condition coins were avoided
2) DEPICTION ON THE COIN ( I didt photo any of the MANY coins depicting gods, heroes, faces, and generally any indistinguishable figures
3) BEAUTY OF DESIGN. Subjective, but with so many coins there, one additional criteria was needed to filter soem stuff out.
3) RARITY OF SYMBOL. (being Greek, with an interest in History, I can tell when a symbol is something I have never seen before. e.g., the twin reversed heads).
4) AREA OF ORIGIN. An area of interest to EB that a) I either assumed must have a comperative lack of sources compared to other, more well known areas ( Eg Epeirus vs Athens) or b) is getting its own faction was focused a bit more. For example Cheimerios Vosporos area, Epeiros area, Magna Grecia, Crete.
5) APPROPRIETNESS FOR SHIELD SYMBOL. As the reason for this museum visit was to help the EB team, only symbols that I would expect to be on a shield were selected. For example heads were ommited, scened of people performing tasks were ommited, complicates scenes (like four horse chariots and the such) were ommitted. I focus more on depictions that can be used as an areas symbol.

As a final remark, the museum collection is huge and contains much more coins than those in the pictures. Therefore, I dont imply that my selection is complete, or even representative of an area. Just a suggestion for shield designs.

kaptainplanet
08-06-2014, 22:58
13910139091390813907139061390013904

kaptainplanet
08-06-2014, 23:11
Edit, 5 & 6 on teh 12th picture are from Isrtia

Alcibiade
08-06-2014, 23:44
They really are works of art. Beautifull coins !

The centaure and bucephale are amazing !