★ The cultus-statue of Zenoposeidon ★

Caria. Mylasa. Domitian as Caesar AD 69-81. ΚΛΑΥΔΙΟΣ ΜΕΛΑΣ ΨΗΦΙΣΑΜΕΝΟΣ (Klaudios Melas, dedicator)
Bronze Æ

22 mm, 7,19 g

ΔΟΜEΤΙΑΝΟϹ ϹEΒΑϹΤΟϹ, laureate head of Domitian, right / ΨΗΦΙϹΑΜEΝΟϹ ΚΛΑ-[Υ]ΔΙΟϹ ΜEΛ[ΑϹ ΑΝEΘΗΚEΝ] around, ΜΥ-[Λ]Α-ϹE-ΩΝ across field, Zeus Osogo standing right, holding trident with right hand and eagle with left.

very fine

RPC II, 1198 corr. (Zeus holding sceptre).

This coin ascertains that the reverse legend contains the title ΨΗΦΙCΑΜΕΝΟC and not ΑΙΤΗCΑΜΕΝΟC, as some references incorrectly read (see RPC II, 1198 note & Head, Digital Historia Numorum, p.622). This coin is more remarkable for the fact that the figure on obverse depicts Zeus Osogo/Osogollis or Zenoposeidon. The cult of Zenoposeidon appears to have been associated with that of Zeus Osogo/Osogollis, the primary civic deity of Mylasa, who had his own sanctuary located outside the city on the SW. Zenoposeidon, a combination of Zeus and Poseidon, is depicted on coinage holding an eagle and a trident.