Ancient Meteorite Coins

...and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch. Revelations 8:10 The stone itself was said to have fallen from heaven. Perhaps it was believed to come from the sun. When Elagabalus brought Elagabal to Rome, the deity was exclusively represented as a sun god.. Several of Elagabalus’s coins bear the legend ‘SANCT(O) DEO SOLI ELAGABAL’ (To the holy god, the sun Elagabalus) and the emperor styled himself ‘sacerdos amplissimus dei invicti Solis Elagabali' (Most elevated priest of the invincible sun god Elagabali) From The Crimes of Elagabalus by Martijn Icks Emesa was the major cult center for the deity El-Gabal, who was worshipped there in the form of a baetyl (an aniconic stone idol; in the case of El-Gabal, a large black conical stone, often interpreted as a meteorite)... From Classical Numismatic Group, (CNG) Baitylia, 'animated stones', are said to be invented by Uranos. This is a mythological circumscription of its celestial nature as meteorites which is confirmed by other references too: Baitylia come from the sky and move jumping through the air; they occur alone or in swarms. Of various, sometimes changing, colour they hold in its spherical cover an extraterrestrial core. Some have magic power and the gift of prophecy, and are so the place of supranatural power; its annunciations based on the authority of mighty gods (Zeus, Kronos, Helios). From Der Kleine Pauly I Zeus Kappotas and the Meteoric Element in Baclylic Stones "There is also a good deal of evidence to show that certain natural blocks derived their baetylic qualities from the fact they were of meteoric origin. According to Sanchoniathon, “Baetylos’ is the son of Ouranons”,  in other words sky-fallen. The phenomena associated with aerolites seem indeed to a certain extent to have attached themselves to the whole class of sacred stones. The early cults of the Greek world supply a good illustration of this class of ideas in the ‘rude stone’ that stood near Gythion in Laconia, and was known as Zeus Kappotas – in other words Zeus “fallen down” from heaven. From The Mycenaean Tree and Pillar Cult and its Mediterranean Relations Sir Arthur Evans 1901

The Cart of Astarte carried one of two sacred stones,
either the Stone of Emesa or the Stone of Sidon.
They were paraded around the city in this cart or chariot.
The sacred stones at this time were known as a "Baetyl",
meaning "House of God"

Bust of Tyche / Cart of Astarte
Phoenicia, Sidon 116-117 AD

Turreted and veiled head of Tyche right, Aphlaston behind, 116-117 AD
Cart of Astarte containing sacred Baetyl, ZKΣ (date) below
 AE 23 , 23.84 mm, 10 grams
 SNG Cop 247

A nice example of this scarcer type

Hadrian / Cart of Astarte
Phoenicia, Sidon 117-138 AD

Hadrian, Phoenicia, Sidon, struck AD 117 - 118. 
Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder. 
Baetyl within Cart of Astarte. 
AE 23, 9.91 g, 23 mm. 
SNG Cop 253 

Excellent detail on Cart and Bust with dark patina

Hadrian / Cart of Astarte
Phoenicia, Sidon 117-138 AD

 Laureate head of Hadrian right / Cart of Astarte with Sacred Stone
117-138 AD
23.66 mm, 11.1 grams
SNG Cop. 253

Elagabalus / Cart of Astarte
Phoenicia, Sidon 218-222 AD

Laureate, Elagabalus right
Cart of Astarte with Sacred Stone
AE 25 mm, 12.0 grams

Beautiful copper and tan toned coin with good detail

Severus Alexander / Cart of Astarte
Phoenicia, Sidon 222-235 AD

Laureate Bust right
COL AVR PIA METRO / SID
Cult Carriage of Astarte with Sacred Stone
SNG Cop 268
BMC 318-319
AE 25.8 mm, 10.4 grams

Tan to brown toned with desert patina
The details on the coin would improve with additional cleaning
Nice large example with good contrast

Elagabalus / Cart of Astarte
Phoenicia, Sidon 218-222 AD

Laureate, Elagabalus right
Cart of Astarte with Sacred Stone
AE 25 mm, 8.6 grams

Dark patina with good detail

These Antoninus Pius / Eagle coins show an eagle with folded
or half open wings, head reverted, wreath in beak and
standing on the Sacred Stone of Emesa / Baetyl of El-Gabal.
Most versions of this coin show the eagle standing to the right but
there is a least one showing the eagle standing left.

Antoninus Pius / Eagle on Stone of Emesa
Syria: Seleucis and Pieria, AD 138-161

Laureate head of Antoninus Pius right AD 138-161
Eagle, wings folded, looking left, holding wreath in beak, standing right on baetyl of
El-Gabal / Stone of Emesa
AE22, 22 mm, 11.04 grams
SNG Cop 309

Good Fine, green patina

"At each summer solstice Elagabalus celebrated a great festival
during which he paraded the holy stone through the city of Rome.
Herodian described the spectacle: A six horse chariot carried the divinity,
the horses huge and flawlessly white, with expensive gold fittings and rich
ornaments. No one held the reins, and no one rode in the chariot;
the vehicle was escorted as if the god himself were the charioteer.
Elagabalus ran backward in front of the chariot, facing the god and holding
the horses' reins. He made the whole journey in this reverse fashion,
looking up into the face of his god."

Attributed to Herodian of Antioch AD 170-240

Elagabalus
16 May 218 - 11 March 222 AD
Aelia Capitolina (Jerusalem) Syria, Palestina

IMP C M A ANTONINVS, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, from behind

COL AELIA CA CPIFE (Colonia Aelia Capitolina Pius Felix),
quadriga of horses facing, drawing cart bearing the stone of Elagabal
adorned with an eagle each pair of horses is shaded by a canopy

. Bronze AE 24
green patina, weight 8.192 g, maximum diameter 23.6 mm, die axis\0o
Aelia Capitolina(Jerusalem) mint, 218 - 222 A.D

A nice coin with good detail. Higher graded examples
of this scarce coin can cost over $1000.

In the nearby city of Seleucia coins struck as late as the
first century BC show the city’s emblem, a thunderbolt.  Notably, coins
from the first century AD which feature the Shrine of Zeus Kasios,
also include representations of the focus of worship on the mountain
– a rounded sacred stone or meteorite that had fallen from the sky.

From Adam to Apophis: Asteroids, Millenarianism and Climate Change
Nicholas Costa 2013

Trajan / Sacred Stone of Zeus Kasios AD 98-117
Syria, Seleukis and Pieria

Trajan laureate bust right
CEΛEVKEΩN ΠEIEPIAC Sacred stone of Zeus Kasios
within shrine with four pillars and pyramidal
roof surmounted by eagle; ZEVC KACIOC below
AE 26 mm 9.40 grams
SNG Copenhagen 404; nearly VF

Nice coin with tan to dark brown patina with
good detail on the shrine and meteorite

About the coins and their descriptions: AE, AR, AU, designates the metal the coin is made from: Copper / Bronze (AE) - Silver (AR) - Gold (AU) The number following these letters is the approximate diameter in millimeters of the coin. AE25 is a bronze coin of about 25 mm (1") Grading of the coins condition is a matter of opinion. This can be described in different ways but some examples include: EF = Extra Fine VF = Very fine F = Fine VG = Very Good G = Good References for ancient coins: SNG Cop Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum - Copenhagen Extensive Reference books of ancient coins BMC Phoenicia Standard reference for coins of Phoenicia

 JOHN SINCLAIR *  CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA  JOHN@METEORITEUSA.COM

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