Arcadia Discussion Zone

PHOENICIA, Sidon. Baalshillem (Sakton) II. Circa 401-365 BC. Silver Double Shekel. (28mm, 27.64 g). Phoenician pentekonter left on waves; figure at prow, standard at stern; Phoenician bet between legs / Persian king and driver in chariot left; behind, king of Sidon, in Egyptian style garments, holding cultic scepter and votive vase, walking left. E&E-S 560 (D20/R33); Betlyon 16; HGC 10, 236. Good Fine, some porosity, very scarce.





Egyptian gold ring - money. The ancient Egyptians did not use coins.

Pharaoh Necho`s Battle near the Euphrates

Necho II (sometimes Nekau) was a king of the Twenty-sixth dynasty of Egypt (610 BC – 595 BC).

Necho II is most likely the pharaoh mentioned in several books of the Bible (see Hebrew Bible / Old Testament). The Book of Kings states that Necho met King Josiah of the Kingdom of Judah at Megiddo and killed him (2 Kings 23:29) (see Battle of Megiddo (609 BC)). The Book of Chronicles 2 Chronicles 35:20-27 gives a lengthier account and 2 Chronicles 35:20 states that when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against the Babylonians at Carchemish on the Euphrates River and that King Josiah was fatally wounded by an Egyptian archer. He was then brought back to Jerusalem to die. Necho is quoted as saying:

"What quarrel is there between you and me, O king of Judah? It is not you I am attacking at this time, but the house with which I am at war. God has told me to hurry; so stop opposing God, who is with me, or he will destroy you." (NIV)

According to the Book of Jeremiah in the summer of 605 BC Carchemish was the site of an important battle was fought by the Babylonian army of Nebuchadrezzar II and that of Pharaoh Necho II of Egypt.[1] The aim of Necho's campaign was to contain the Westward advance of the Babylonian Empire and cut off its trade route across the Euphrates. However, the Egyptians were defeated by the unexpected attack of the Babylonians and were eventually expelled from Syria.

I got an e mail from the British museum today, they want me to send it to them to look at but don't think it's of ancient origin, they think it might be part of a brooch but haven't come across anything like it before apparently.

they can bog off, I am not sticking it in the post
I might cancel that metal detector order though

Not for a coat button.









While King Tutankhamun took the world stage in the press, he also took over in the fashion world. In a February 25 article in the New York Times, one fashion guru pronounced that America was in a better mood to produce styles than Europe due to World War I, and this year the American shows were dominated by Egyptian fashions. A Feb. 27 article proclaimed a "complete change in furniture, decorations, jewelry and women's dress... as a result of the discoveries in the tomb of Tutankhamun." By July 18, silk trade businessmen announced that the Egyptian fashions had lifted a normally dry silk season to new heights. Yet even announcing this, he noted that the "fad" was over.

Egyptian Revival was all the rage in 1923.

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug00/rekas/tut/king.htm

TCP

"Rome's incorporation of Egypt inspired a fascination for Egyptian art and culture. Obelisks appeared in the forums. A small pyramid was built in Rome. The cult of Isis, the Egyptian mother goddess, became a major force throughout the Empire. Marcus Aurelius brought oppressive taxation resulting in a revolt (139 AD)."

Julius Caesar was in both Britian and Egypt. Hadrian`s Wall was built in 122 A.D. I would agree that the analysis of the metallic content would be the clue that would solve this mystery and I agree with Sheila on her advise not to let it out of your sight!

Here it is the Ides of March speaking of Julius Caesar. Below, from a Dacian tomb where the atrium was filled with the skeletons of horses, ornaments from thier harnesses.

That little nick in the side - I think that's where they get the idea it might be a brooch. Sometimes you can get single loops with a pin dropping down like a hat pin.
Also like TCP said if it is a button it would be for a coat. Single breasted - feature button.

Cuirass Of A Roman Centurion Ornamented with 9 silver phalerae (medallions or acts of bravery).



This centurion could have served in Egypt.

"The excavation of an important Roman site near the Rhône valley (Roquemaure, Gard) produced a bronze circular phalera which will be published very soon in Arma. Bronze phalerae with bust, such as the Xanten ones, seem to be very well formed, but this one is rather schematic."





"Arma" - Arma is the newsletter of the Roman Military Equipment Conference.

Is the silver disc made of silver from Roman Spain?



The mines of Rome in Spain are marked with crossed pick-axes. Their silver mines
were in New Carthage.



The Roman silver mining area in Spain. Ice cores from Iceland show the layers of pollution
from the Roman silver mines in Spain.

I love the design Tingra
What a wonderful find!

this is a Romano British brooch
http://static.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld-ic/imageasset/iclarge/historyworld-webapp/user/RomanJ/object/HSZgixNESnWKyNfIz2lk7g/asset/1

"POTTERY MEDALLION: Ancient Egyptian pottery medallion from Thebes-Luxor. On exhibition in a museum at the time of photographing."

Drawn by John White (1585-1593). A Pictish warrior holding a human head; nude, body stained and painted with birds, animals and serpents carrying shield and man's head, with large curved sword. Watercolour touched with bodycolour and white over graphite.
The contemporary English historian John Speed argued that the name Pict meant ‘painted or stained’ and believed that they went naked so as not to cover up their ‘painting and damasking’ which made them look more terrible in war. The Picts took heads as trophies, and they and their neighbours, men and women, bristled with weapons...

It is also worth noting that the paintings and tattoos on this Pict in particular resemble some of the more elaborate sculpted and gilded decorations on court armour of the period, which employed similar fantastic beasts on shoulders, helmets and breastplates.



The damage to the artifact could have been caused by a Pictish sword rather than a plow. A phalera would not fall off by itself.
"Phalera" is the term used whether it is an ornament for a soldier or a horse.

This is a back view of a phalera showing how it was attached to a harness. The

inner ring could have been knocked loose.

A Roman denarius - for style - charioteer.

New theory - I think it was a medallion necklace.

Have a look at the back Renne. A medallion necklace would likely have the clasp attachment on the top not the middle as it would hang incorrectly.
Regards
Nic

What do you think it is Nic?



I think that the medallion in question was set in a round frame that had a backing. I know there were guard

posts on Hadrian`s Wall, were there women up there?

I'd go for large button over a medallion, but what do I know
Regards
Nic