Pontos, Amisos. AE28 Time Of Mithradates VI. Athena, Perseus & Medusa

PONTOS. Amisos.

Æ (time of Mithradates VI Eupator), circa 105–90 or 90–85 BC.

19.40 g; 28.4 mm. Very Fine.

Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena right, the city’s tutelary embodiment of martial wisdom and civic order. Pegasus galloping on helmet.

Reverse: ΑΜΙ–ΣΟΥ. Perseus standing left, holding the harpa and the severed head of Medusa; the decapitated body lies at his feet. Monograms to left and right.

Reference: SNG BM Black Sea 1166–76, variant (controls).

Historical Context & Iconography:

Struck during the reign of Mithradates VI Eupator, these substantial bronzes reflect Amisos’ close alignment with the Pontic court and its taste for heroic, propagandistic imagery. Athena projects disciplined power and strategic intelligence, while Perseus—victor over chaos—embodies triumph sanctioned by divine favor. The vivid mythological tableau on the reverse is among the most dramatic civic types of the Black Sea region, rendered here with clear legends and well-balanced composition.

Condition & Fabric:

Well-centered on a broad flan with pleasing surfaces for the type; devices bold and legible, consistent with a strong Very Fine example.