Gallic coin

[aligern]

came across this picture, which I presume is of a Gaul. Interesting for the smallish round shield with concentric rings which I would lijen to Bronze Age leather bucklers and the long sword.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Auvergne_Gaul_coin_CdM.jpg


Roy

[Paul Innes]

Hi Roy, you have been busy!

[Sharur]

I found another couple of examples on a quick search. The warriors seem indeed to be from Gaul, typically captioned as Arverni, the coins generally dated from the 5th to 1st centuries BC.

This one's very similar to Roy's find, another headless warrior:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Averni_coin_depicting_warrior_5th_to_1st_century_BCE.jpg

However, I also came across this complete version (and showing both sides of the coin for once), in a discussion of differences between the Iceni and Arverni on the "Total War Center" Forum:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?606156-Difference-Between-the-Iceni-and-Averni-the-two-celtic-Factions/page5

It's in the second posting on this page. This much clearer version of the warrior now suggests he's holding a Roman-style standard, a shield and a spear. Unfortunately, there's no source given for this photo, but it seems a genuine coin by comparison with the other two "partials".

I also chanced-upon this item too, a different Gaulish warrior on a coin:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pictones_coin_depicting_warrior_5th_to_1st_century_BCE.jpg

Circa 1st century BC, a warrior of the Pictones (NW Bay of Biscay area) apparently, according to the Wikipedia page, anyway!

[Duncan Head]

This one is a coin of the Aedui from wildwinds.com: another standing warrior with standard, perhaps helmeted and bare-torsoed, anatomically a bit off.

[aligern]

Interesting, the spear that Alastair's first coin shows is, I think, a gaesum, which may relate to Gaesati.

Alastair's second  chap has Gallic mail with a shoulder cape?
Interesting that there is a variety of standards and shield shown. I wonder if they relate to particular tribal iconography?
Roy

[aligern]

Here a rather nice Gallic trophy on A Caesarian coin.  It shosw the armour well.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caesar_venustrophy3b.jpg

Roy

[Duncan Head]

Interesting, the spear that Alastair's first coin shows is, I think, a gaesum, which may relate to Gaesati.

I think you mean "it's got a big barbed head like the Carvoran spear that Russell Robinson and Phil Barker related to Rhaeti gesati, but which is actually nothing like a gaesum".

[aligern]

Show us a gaesum then Duncan:-))
Roy

[Duncan Head]

Well, we know from the written sources that it's a lightish throwing-spear usually carried in pairs - I went through this in Slingshot some years ago.

[Paul Innes]

A suggestion: if anyone knows enough about numismatics, there might be a nice Slingshot article in the making...?  Just sayin'!

Cheers, all
Paul

[aligern]

There's a debate about gaesum on RAT, but it is not conclusive.
Duncan, if the barbed spear shown is not a gaesum, then what is it?  It might be something that can be used for hooking shields aside, it might just be a matter of artistic exaggeration of a barbed spearhead. Unfortunately the RAT debaters do not cite one clear source that says a gaesum is X and here is the reference point.
Roy

[Sharur]

A suggestion: if anyone knows enough about numismatics, there might be a nice Slingshot article in the making...?  Just sayin'!

Well, this topic's certainly highlighted my ignorance of the material! I though all Celtic coins had just abstract designs or horses on the backs (sometimes both, occasionally with a rider on the horse)...

A little further digging, and thanks to Duncan's mentioning the Wildwinds site, finally led me to track down the original image from that Total War Center Arverni coin I mentioned/linked-to previously:

http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/celtic/gaul/arverni/t.html .

It's the fourth item on the list, but the "partial" from the first coin on this page seems to give increased clarity as to the warrior's costume.

What intrigued me most of all though, was the "lobster-like creature" above the horse's back on the second coin, which might be a variant draco standard maybe, if it's not simply there as a decorative or shorthand symbol for something else.

Certainly worth digging around further, methinks 

[Erpingham]

What intrigued me most of all though, was the "lobster-like creature" above the horse's back on the second coin, which might be a variant draco standard maybe, if it's not simply there as a decorative or shorthand symbol for something else.

Looks more like a mermaid to me.  Mermaid type creatures certainly exist in some Celtic mythologies.

[aligern]

I recall some of the coin descriptions call it a scorpion.

Roy

[Duncan Head]

Duncan, if the barbed spear shown is not a gaesum, then what is it?

No idea. I am not aware of any similar barbed spears from Gallic archaeology - though my lack of awareness should not be taken as decisive. Maybe it's a pilum to go with the Roman standard?