Что интересно, зодиакальный календарь в полной его красе впервые появляется на провинциальных римских монетах.
Реверс одного из типов таких монет Катарина Лобер (Catharine C. Lorber) в книге "Treasures of Ancient Coinage: From the Private Collections of American Numismatic Society Members" описывает следующим образом:
"
...символическая карта Вселенной. Зевс, главный из богов, является центральной фигурой... Эту сцену обрамляет широкая полоса, содержащая двенадцать знаков зодиака. Весь дизайн отражает общее убеждение римлян третьего века, что их жизнь определялась высшими силами. Эта тема и ее вариации были использованы многочисленными монетными дворами для различных императоров, начиная с середины второго до середины третьего века."
Монеты эти достаточно редки и стоимость имеют немалую. Некоторые приметы зодиакальных монет с аукциона CNG:
PHOENICIA, Sidon. Elagabalus. AD 218-222. Æ 28mm (14.82 g, 5h). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Cart of Astarte containing baetyl within Zodiacal wheel. BMC 260; SNG Copenhagen -. Rare.
Astarte, deriving from the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar, was worshipped in Phoenicia in the form of a baetyl (an aniconic stone cult image). Here the baetyl is shown on its sacred cart (for an enlarged depiction of this cart, see the previous lot) in the center of a zodiac. A ring or belt thought to cover the regions of the heavens containing the stars and planets, the Zodiac’s twelve divisions each contain a sign.
PHOENICIA, Sidon. Julia Paula. Augusta, AD 219-220. Æ (30mm, 16.07 g, 6h). IVLIA PA-VLA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane / Cart of Astarte containing baetyl within center of zodiacal wheel; around, CO - [AV-R P-IA ME-TR?] - SI-DO divided by registers. Rouvier 1571; BMC - (but cf. 10 for rev. type on coin of Elagabalus). Rare astrological type.
THRACE, Perinthus. Severus Alexander. 222-235 AD. Æ 41mm Medaillon (29.53 gm). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / "The Zodiac Wheel" -- A zodiac wheel starting with Pisces at the top and continuing clockwise with Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius; in the center of the wheel is Zeus enthroned facing, holding a patera and sceptre, eagle at his feet, above to the left and right is Helios in a quadriga and Selene in a biga of bulls (each with the symbol of the other), below are the reclining figures of Gaia (Earth) and Thalassa (Sea). Varbanov 4093 (same dies); BMC Thrace pg. 157, 58 var. (Severus wearing cuirass ornamented with gorgoneion and aegis); SNG Copenhagen -; Hunterian I pg. 403, 24. Extremely rare.
CILICIA, Anazarbus. Maximus. Caesar, AD 235/6-238. Æ 32mm (17.88 g). Dated CY 254 (AD 235/6). Bare-headed and cuirassed bust right / Zodiacal wheel with facing head in center, within ornate distyle shrine with radiate semicircular roof; lower panel decorated with goddess and bull; Nikai on either side; date in exergue. Ziegler 669 (V4/R9); SNG France 2103 (same dies); SNG Levante 1484.
LYDIA, Sardes. Mid-3rd century AD. Æ 41mm Medallion (25.50 g, 12h). Aurelius Rufinus, first archon for the second time. MHTROPOLIC CARDIC • ACIAC • LVDIAC • ELLADOC • A•, veiled and draped bust of Tyche right, wearing mural crown / EPI AVP POV[F]EINOV APX A T(o) B CARDIANWN B NEWKORWN, ZEVC font face=symbol>LVDIOC across inner fields, Zeus Lydius seated left on high throne, holding Nike in right hand and sceptre in left, surrounded by zodiacal wheel border. Simpson 108 = Triton V (15-16 January 2002), lot 1729 = Sternberg XI (20 November 1981), lot 304; BMC -; SNG Copenhagen -; SNG von Aulock -; cf. Mionnet IV 788 (no zodiacal wheel). Very rare
