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Recently unearthed
in Norfolk and still
looking as sharp as
the day it was
minted two-thousand
years ago, this is
unquestionably one
of the pretties
Anted Triple Moons
gold staters we have
seen. When looked at
this way up, the
three crescent moons
can be seen as a
hidden face – a
rather sad hidden
face with upturned
eyes and downturned
mouth. Sir John
Evans was of the
opinion that the
Icenian Anted was
the same person as
the Dobunnic Anted
and says: “Professor
Rhys [Celtic
Britain, p.37]
has suggested that
owing to some
revolution among the
Iceni, the kingly
power was abrogated
and that the state
became the prey of
two factions headed
by Bericos and
Antedrigus
respectively; that
Antedrigus prevailed
and issued coins
bearing his name,
while Bericos fled
to Claudius to ask
him to invade the
island, promising
the aid of his
friends; that when
the Roman forces
arrived the Iceni
were induced to
enter into an
alliance with the
Roman power, and
Antedrigus had to
flee; that he was
then hospitably
received by the
Dobunni, among whom
he organized
resistance to the
Romans for some
years afterwards” (Coins
of the Ancient
Britons, Supplement,
1890, p.493).
Today it is
generally thought
that the Anted in
East Anglia was not
the same king as the
Anted in the
Cotswolds. Dr Philip
de Jersey says: “The
Anted staters all
appear to be from
the same reverse
die, which might
suggest that this
was really a very
scarce issue.”
Chris Rudd's
November list.
15.9.08 |
