Coins depicted on loading screens

[delablake]

Ave, patres conscripti!
I have noticed that most persons on greek/hellenic/hellenistic coins wear some sort of ribbon around their foreheads.What is the meaning of that adornment? Is it some honorary gear they got for competing but not winning at say, one of the panhellenic games (olympic, phytian, nemean, isthmian)?
Or was it used to herald one's greek/hellenic/hellenistic descent?
Is there some other explanation? I think it must be something cultural with a political hint, as everybody seemed to be frantic to display that ribbon, even those professional thugs who called themselves "basileis of the indo-greeks" and the baktrian gangsters with their killer mugs.

Any hint will be much appreciated!

[Tiberius Claudius Marcellus]

I wasn't able to find any definitive source on the subject; but I believe that those head bands were most likely a crown of some sort (possibly more comfortable, cheaper, easier to wear constantly/less formal ?). It is, of course plausible that these headbands were simply en vogue, or to quote Mr. Burns they wore them "as was the style at the time."

[ziegenpeter]

I thought it was a symbol of hellenic kingdom. As we know from "300"* even king Leonidas wore that ribbon



*

[machinor]

Ziegenpeter got it right, it's a diadem, the symbol of a king's authority. Crowns were not yet in fashion back then.

[Tiberius Claudius Marcellus]

Ziegenpeter got it right, it's a diadem, the symbol of a king's authority. Crowns were not yet in fashion back then.

Isn't a "symbol of a king's authority" worn on the head a type of crown, albeit not the Gold and Jeweled type that we think of today?

[Maion Maroneios]

Well, it was fashion for aristocracy in general, not just Hellenistic kings.

Maion

[Βελισάριος]

Isn't a "symbol of a king's authority" worn on the head a type of crown, albeit not the Gold and Jeweled type that we think of today?

Yes and no.

A "crown", by modern generally accepted standards, is a jewelled headpiece ornament, commonly adorned with arches. This distinction [the arches] is usually seen in heraldry, as some crowns don't necessarily have that particular piece of decorations. But this serves to distinguish a "crown" from, for example, a "coronet" which would have served the title of a Duke, Earl or other greater nobles but the crown itself was a symbol of royalty.

But, stricto sensu, a crown is an ornamental headpiece that symbolises royalty. The term comes from the Latin corona which means both 'crown' and '[olive] wreath'.

The issue here is the fact that the "crown" has become a deeply symbolic element of modern folklore and is thus associated with its most common representation of the arched crown found in medieval heraldry.

But a diadem would technically still be a crown.

And since we're on the topic of coins... have you noticed how one of the Basileis of the Indo-Greeks looks like a lawyer in Victorian England? I'll get a screenshot as soon as I can, that's one of the funniest loading screens. Another Basileu from that list is wearing an elephant head as a crown (ahem), much like Alexander would have worn his lion-head helmet but that one just looks so wrong.

[Tiberius Claudius Marcellus]

I love these forums - you always learn so much.

to Burebista for providing clear, concise, articulate, and polite education.

[Gatalos de Sauromatae]

This topic has nice information and some new knowledge for me.
Thank and cheer to ya'all.

[delablake]

I am overwhelmed by the quick response.
The mistery has been solved...

REGALITY!!!
KINGSHIP!
So it IS something cultural with a political hint lol!
I am absolutely relieved!
Never I would have thought! A distinctive of royal dignity!
That's what it is about! Clear as glass now: If you mint coins, you are/have to be a king, ergo
the apposite symbol turns round discs of precious metal into legal tender/ accepted currency!
Genial! From now on, it's all YOURcoins! (Insert a glint of criminal energy here)

BIG SMILE!

Thank you very much

Valete, patri conscripti!


Can I give a balloon to the EB community?

(I hope so)

[Maion Maroneios]

Can I give a balloon to the EB community?

(I hope so)

No, because the EB community would tear each other apart to claim the balloon for themselves

Maion

[Βελισάριος]

I love these forums - you always learn so much.

to Burebista for providing clear, concise, articulate, and polite education.

Thanks very much!
Wow, my first balloon... what do I do with it?

[A Very Super Market]

Aww, I want a balloon too! What exactly do they do?

Also, I'm thinking you mean these guys.

[Βελισάριος]

Exactly, those two!

Now doesn't Antimachos look like a guy you might just as well call "Lord Hamilton"? And Demetrios like... something from Aliens?

[Maion Maroneios]

Exactly, those two!

Now doesn't Antimachos look like a guy you might just as well call "Lord Hamilton"? And Demetrios like... something from Aliens?

Well, the hat Antimachos wears looks like a variant of the kausia hat to me, while the one Demetrios wears might be a mix (or adoption, most likely) of Baktrian fashion. The Baktrian Greeks did adopt many Baktrian fashions, AFAIK. The elephant is most probably because the animal played an important role in their society, or just to show off his power [which comes from his possession of elephants].

Maion

[Tiberius Claudius Marcellus]

Thanks very much!
Wow, my first balloon... what do I do with it?

You put them in your Signature and either breed them, collect them, or give them away.

What's cool is that you don't lose them when you give them away (unless you're breeding litters of the things)

[Βελισάριος]

Cheers, TTCM.

And Maion, thanks for the clarification about the kausia. As for the Elephant hat, I knew it must have had something or other to do with royalty. It just looked a bit bizarre, that's all.

[keravnos]

Well, the hat Antimachos wears looks like a variant of the kausia hat to me, while the one Demetrios wears might be a mix (or adoption, most likely) of Baktrian fashion. The Baktrian Greeks did adopt many Baktrian fashions, AFAIK. The elephant is most probably because the animal played an important role in their society, or just to show off his power [which comes from his possession of elephants].

Maion

Demetrios wore the elephant emblem, as he was the conqueror of India. Last one to have worn one was Alexander the Great.