The cow-calf type staters
of Apollonia and Dyrrhachium
Last updated: 03 May 2012
Contents of this page
1. Introduction
The stater is a two-drachm (didrachm) silver coin denomination. The Illyrian staters belong to the classical Greek coinage of the early Hellenistic era with beautiful devices in high relief.
The staters are similar to and therefore probably contemporary with their Corcyrean prototypes from the era when the double stellate pattern had become a single device within a double sided square. The weight standard was also similar, around 11 g.
For a while an Illyrian king Monounios ruled in Dyrrhachium and produced similar staters showing his name.
The exact chronology and their relative sequence of the staters including those of Monounios are unknown. No smaller silver denominations are known from this period, also the types of the bronze coins of this era are uncertain.
There is no special corpus of the Illyrian staters. Some of the major collections have not been published yet (Berlin, Paris) or the catalogues do not illustrate all pieces (British Museum, Vienna). The best publications are those in the SNG series, almost each contains Illyrian staters. The references can be found in the Further reading page.
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2. Details to observe
There is no border on the obverse, the main device is the cow with suckling calf. Small symbols or monograms may appear on the obverse. The main device of the reverse is the double stellate pattern within double sided square surrounded by line border.
Maier lists 35 different varieties from Dyrrhachium and only seven from Apollonia. For easier comparison and identification view the reverse of the Dyrrhachian staters that the club is in the bottom segment. A picture will be inserted here some time that may help understand the different varieties of devices listed below.
Varieties of features:
Obverse
Cow: standing to right (R) or left (L)
About equal numbers of emissions are with cow to left or right both in Apollonia and in Dyrrhachium.
Symbols or monograms
Symbols do not appear on the staters from Apollonia. The Dyrrhachian staters have at least one symbol or monogram, usually above or sometimes on the flank of the cow. The system of the symbols has not been discovered; the deciphering of the monograms has also been unsuccessful so far.
Reverse
Ethnic attribute
This feature tells which town the coin comes from. Greek letters and/or symbols can be found in the segments between the line border and the square. The letters are the abbreviation of the ethnic attribute AΠOΛΛΩNIATAN (Apolloniatan) or ΔYPPAXINΩN (Dyrrhachinon). This legend can be clockwise or anticlockwise (retrograde); sometimes also upside down and anticlockwise (outward legend).
Apollonia: A Π (A P) or A Π o Λ (A P o L).
Dyrrhachium: Δ Y P (D Y R) or Δ Y P A (D Y R A).
Additional symbols in the segments
Apollonia: Sometimes a bow or a club or both may appear in one of the segments not occupied by the letters of the ethnic attribute.
Dyrrhachium: The club, the usual attribute of Hercules, patron of Dyrrhachium, is rarely missing from the reverse of the Dyrrhachian staters. In addition, sometimes another tiny device appears: mosquito, lizard, crab, or cicada.
Position of the central device: rays vertical or horizontal
There is no question that the original Corcyrean stellate pattern was in the vertical position but the meaning of this representation (the twin stars of the Dioscurii) must have been forgotten by this time. If - according to my suggestion - the club is in the bottom segment, we find coins with rays arranged either in the vertical or in the horizontal position.
Form of the rays
The shape of the rays can be: tear drop, drumstick, tadpole, petal, etc.
Number of the separation lines dividing the square: 1 or 2
There is usually one, sometimes two lines separating the two halves of the double stellate pattern.
Line border: yes = 1, no = 0
It can be missing in certain emissions.
Both sides
Letter forms
Few letters occur on the staters (see Ethnic attribute). Π (Pi in AP) is usually in an archaic form; with shorter right leg.
Any other divergence from the main type
It is advisable to notice and describe unusual features. Sometimes contemporary fakes can only be detected by style degradation or unusual letter forms.
Weight in grams with two decimal places
Diameter means the vertical diameter of the obverse in mm with one decimal place.
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3. Examples
a. Dyrrhachium
1. Obv. Cow to right. Rev. Club pointing to L. Legend: D - Y - R anticlockwise, starting in the upper segment. BMC 6, Maier 2. 10.93 g, 21.6 mm.
2.Obv. Cow to left. Rev. Club pointing to left. Legend: DY - R outward - anticlockwise; starting from the R segment. Maier 10? 10.24 g, 21.7 mm.
3. Obv. Cow to right, monogram above. Rev. Club pointing to R. Legend: D - Y - R; anticlockwise; starting in the R segment. BMC 28. 10.93 g, 20.4 mm.
b. Apollonia
Apolloniate staters have a similar design but the legend is different, and there is no club on their reverse.
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