celtic
Acquired from eBay France this nice 50BC coin from the Senones tribe of Gaul . It's a stylized depiction of the Celtic Warrior Vercingetorix or the Greek God Apollo. To have a coin representing one of the epic events of world history when Julius Caesar the first Emperor of the Roman Empire conquered the Gauls of France in 52BC is quite amazing.
Horses have always been very important to the ancient peoples as source of transportation and for mobility in battle. Caesar wrote of the Celts prowess with chariots as part of their war tactics. Background scene is from the Lascaux cave paintings of France 15,000 BC. My coin has a graceful depiction of a galloping horse with 2 pellets indicating a low quadrans denomination .
The contrast between the brutality of the culture and the fine art on these 2000 year old coins is quite amazing. This 3 min video captures the essence of celtic art as well as their barbaric customs of druids, human sacrifice cults and cutting off heads of opponents as war trophies.
This gold celtic coin from nearby Parisii tribe 100 BC sold for $63,000 and was just one among the dozens of coins in the owner's collection.
The Parisii (later capitol of France) were just a few kilometers northwest of my coin's origin. I'd say we have the same artisan sculptor based on the style. See "Why I love Celtic Coins" for a passionate explanation by a true coin guy.
The ancient people were intensely focused on the stars. The knowledge and interest and symbolism is amazing to grasp as in the example above representing constellations and the Celestial Horse.
This map of Gallic territory or Gaul 54BC indicates the tribal area of Senones capitol of Agedincum (aged ones) of modern day Sens, France where my coin originated. The Celts had previously sacked Rome in 389 BC slaughtering women and children and demanded payment in gold to withdraw. Julius Caesar in 52 BC finally got even by defeating Celtic leader Vercingetorix at the Battle of Alesia in 52 BC, a few kilometers southeast from my artifact. That was the beginning of the end of the dozens of Celtic tribes.
further reading
Vercingetorix videos 15,000
Wildwinds celtic coin reference
Parisii gold coin DLT 7782 $77,000 DT83 Sills 473
British and continental celtic coin reference KC230
Barbaric celts hour video , Celtic expert Prof Garrett Olmsted cracks their advanced calendar code
Celtic coinage is thought to copy Greek style. Vercingetorix [Fitz 113788] , who is thought to be depicted on some gold coins. DLT 7777 Parisii 70-60 BC
my [DLT 7124]
Some consider the Celts (Kelts, Gauls, Picts, Britons, Irish etc) to be Europe's first inhabitants and the coins of the Senones to be the first celtic coins. History can be a little sketchy especially since the Celts had no written language but it seems the Celtic tribes independently controlled this large portion of central Europe back several thousand years.
History's best documentation focuses on their culture back to 400BC and before the Greek and Roman conquests really took over. By 500 AD the Celtic tribes (or Kelts) had been pushed back to Ireland and on to Boston.
A flawless exchange with eBayer in Lorraine District, northern France. He uses the pseudonym Guy Balbois the Pink Panther's nom de guerre.
for further investigation:
whether the Celts came to the Anubis Cave in Oklahoma in 500AD.
Anubis is the jackel headed mummy that is the afterlife god.
The Kelts practiced Mistrasim a zoroastranism religion. Mithra killed the bull with sun god looking on - as depicted during the autumnal equnox in the cave.
Mistric mysteries included bull sacrifices practiced by Greek, Roman, and celtic peoples.
Ogham inscriptions at the cave may relate to the Kelts whose earliest Irish writings are from the 5th Century.
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