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BM00934

Mysia, Kyzikos, Electrum Myshemihekte

Mysia, Kyzikos (c. 450-330 B.C.), Electrum Myshemihekte (1/24 Stater). Head of Attis facing right, wearing Phrygian headdress, a tunny below to right, rev. quadripartite incuse square, 0.70g. (cf. Von Fritze I, 142 & cf. Greenwell 56 (this denomination not listed); cf. Boston 1523 (Hekte); cf. SNG France 292-3 (Hekte); cf. Gulbenkian 644 (Stater); BMC -; Jameson -; Weber -). A beautiful little coin of very attractive style, well-struck and extremely fine.

The cult of Attis, depicted as a long-haired and beautiful youth, appears to have had Phrygian origins. A popular version of events, according to mythology, was that the daemon Agdistis bore male and female attributes, but the Olympian gods cut off the male organ and cast it away. From it sprung an almond-tree and from its fruit Nana, the daughter of the river-god Sangarius, conceived Attis. As Attis matured, he was due to marry the daughter of the King of Pessinos (possibly identified as King Midas according to some traditions), but Agdistis (as Kybele) had fallen in love with Attis. Agdistis appeared at the wedding ceremony whereupon Attis cut off his genitals in a fit of madness and Agdistis saw to it that the body of Attis should never decay. Thereafter, all the priests of the cult of Attis were eunuchs.

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