CILICIA. Tarsus. Antinoüs, died 130. Tetrassarion (Bronze, 31 mm, 19.00 g, 12 h). ANTINOOC HPΩC Head of Antinoüs as 'new Iakchos' to left, wearing ivy wreath and hem-hem-crown. Rev. AΔPIA TAPCOY MHTPOΠO NЄOKOPOY // NЄΩ IAKXΩ Amphora standing on small base within garlanded and decorated tetrastyle shrine. Blum p. 52, 4 = BMC 159 and pl. IV, 4. Pudill p. 87, M86 (this coin). Extremely rare. A beautiful coin of exceptionally fine style, with a wonderful portrait of Antinoüs. Minor corrosion and the obverse struck somewhat off center, otherwise, about very fine.


Born in circa 110-112, Hadrian's favorite Antinoüs met the emperor in the early 120s and accompanied him on his journey through Greece, Asia and Egypt in 128-130. His early death in the Nile in October 130 is surrounded by legends. Although possibly an accident, it is rumored that Antinoüs committed sacrificial suicide, believing that this would help prolong the life of his patron, or that he was assassinated by Hadrian's jealous wife, Sabina. The emperor, grieving over the loss of his beloved companion, ordered the founding of the eponymous city Antinoopolis at the site of his death and had him deified, rendering him a hero with his own priesthood.

The popularity of this cult, which spread quickly through the Greek East, is not only attested by many statues - more than a hundred have survived - and honorary games, but also by a substantial number of poleis striking coins in Antinoüs' name. This coinage is of great interest, as it offers evidence of local forms of worship of the new hero. In Kios, Antinoüs' was equated with Pan (ΠANI ANTINOΩ), in Corinth with Hermes and Bellerophon, Ancyra and Nicopolis praise him as the deified Antinoüs (ANTINOOΣ ΘΕOΣ or ANTINOON ΘΕON) and many cities equated him with Dionysos.

In Tarsus (and in Adramytium), Antinoüs was worshipped as a 'new Iakchos', a demon from the Eleusinian Mysteries that was carried in the Eleusinian processions. Hadrian and Antinoüs had both been introduced to the Mysteries when visiting Greece in 128, and the equation of the now deceased imperial favorite to a demon so closely linked to Eleusis is therefore not surprising. It is worth noting that the ivy wreath Antinoüs is wearing on this coin is clearly a reference to Dionysos, one of the patron gods of Eleusis, whereas the structure depicted on the reverse likely represents an actual shrine built for the hero by the polis.