Aphrodite and Coins

 

Aphrodite, ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty, is identified with Venus by the Romans. Aphrodite is said to have been born near her chief centre of worship, Paphos, on the island of Cyprus, which is why she is sometimes called ''Cyprian''. Widely worshipped as a goddess of the sea and of seafaring, she was also honoured as a goddess of war, specially at Sparta, Thebes, Cyprus and other places. Primarily, she was known as a goddess of love and fertility and occasionally presided over marriage.

                                       

Cicilia, Nagidos, 400-385 BC, AR Stater, Aphrodite seated left
 

Some scholars believe Aphrodite's worship came to Greece from the East, many of her attributes recall the ancient Middle Eastern goddess Ishtar and Astarte. In Book VIII of the Odyssey, Aphrodite was mismatched with Hephaestus, the lame smith god, and she consequently spent her time philandering with the handsome god of war, Ares (by whom she became the mother of Harmonia, the warrior twins Phobos and Deimos, and Eros, the god of love).

                                         

Aphrodite rides side-saddle on the back of a goose. She holds a plant frond and wears a head scarf (sakkos), 460 BC, British Museum, London

Of Aphrodite's mortal lovers, the most important were the Trojan shepherd Anchises, by whom she became the mother of Aeneas, and the handsome youth Adonis, who was killed by a boar while hunting and was lamented by women at the festival of Adonia. The cult of Adonis and Aphrodite was also connected with the dead at Delphi.

Aphrodite's main centres of worship were at Paphos and Amathus on Cyprus and on the island of Cythera, a Minoan colony, where in prehistoric times her cult probably originated. On the Greek mainland, Corinth was the chief centre of her worship.

Representations of Aphrodite in early Greek art are fully dressed and without distinguishing features that differentiate her from other goddesses. 

                                       

Early fifth century BC statue of Aphrodite from Cyprus, showing her wearing a cylinder crown and holding a dove

   

She first attained individuality at the hands of the great 5th century BCE Greek sculptors. Perhaps the most famous of all statues of Aphrodite was carved by Praxiteles for the Cnidians. The first full scale nude, it later became the model for such Hellenistic masterpieces as the Venus de Milo (2nd century BCE). 

                                                         

Aphrodite of Cnidus, Roman marble copy of Greek statue by Praxiteles, 350 BCE, in the Vatican Museum

                                        

Aphrodite, Pudica, Roman copy of 2nd century AD, National Archaeological Museum, Athens                                     

Coins of Aphrodite

                                        

Cilicia, Nagidos, 400-385 BC, AR Stater, weight 10.5 gm Obverse: Aphrodite seated left, holding patera, to right, Eros, standing left, grasping Aphrodite's arm and holding wreath, Reverse: Bearded Dionysos, drapery hanging from arms, standing left, grape bunch hanging from wine

                                         

Caria, Knidos, Drachm, 500-490 BC, weight 6.1 gm, Obverse: Forepart of lion, Reverse: Head of Aphrodite, wearing necklace, all within incuse square

                                         

Caria, Knidos, 465-449 BC, silver Drachm, weight 6.1 gm, Obverse: Forepart of lion right with mouth open, Reverse: Head of Aphrodite to right, all within incuse square 

                                           

Sicily, Messana, 215-202 BC, weight 2.4 gm, Obverse: Head of Aphrodite, Reverse: Warrior standing, holding sheathed sword and spear, trophy and monogram

                                          

Phyrygia, Laodikeia, 2nd century BC, bronze, weight 2.0 gm, Obverse: Diademed head of Aphrodite to right, Reverse: Aphrodite standing front, head to left, holding dove in right hand, to left rose

                        

                                            

Corinth, 350-306 BC, silver Drachm, weight 2.1 gm, Obverse: Pegasos flying left, quoppa below, Reverse: Head of Aphrodite left with hair bound in a sakkos monogram in lower right field.

Aphrodite

Coins of Aphrodite