Editing Themistocles (section)

=== First portraiture of a ruler on coinage ===
[[File:Coinage of Themistocles Magnesia.jpg|thumb|Didrachm of Themistocles in Magnesia. ''Obv:'' [[Apollo]] standing in [[clamys]], legend around ΘΕΜΙΣΤΟΚ-ΛΕΟΣ ("Themistokles"). ''Rev:'' Eagle with letters Μ-Α ("Magnesia").<ref name="TAM">{{cite journal |last1=Cahn |first1=Herbert A. |last2=Gerin |first2=Dominique |title=Themistocles at Magnesia |journal=The Numismatic Chronicle |volume=148 |pages=13–20 |year=1988 |jstor=42668124}}</ref>]]
[[File:IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Themistokles with bonnet. Circa 465-459 BC.jpg|thumb|Hemiobol of Themistocles in Magnesia, where he is seen wearing a tight [[bonnet (headgear)|bonnet]] with [[Olive wreath]] (a similar headdress can be seen on the coinage of [[Kherei]]).<ref name="HC19" /> This possibly reflects the bonnets of Achaemenid [[Satrap]]s, such as seen in the [[Herakleia head]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cahn |first1=Herbert A. |last2=Gerin |first2=Dominique |title=Themistocles at Magnesia |journal=The Numismatic Chronicle |volume=148 |year=1988 |page=20 |jstor=42668124}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Stieber |first1=Mary |title=The Poetics of Appearance in the Attic Korai |year=2010 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-0-292-77349-3 |page=98 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DaIAAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA98}}</ref> Initials Θ-Ε around portrait and on reverse.<ref name="HC19">{{cite journal |last1=Cahn |first1=Herbert A. |last2=Gerin |first2=Dominique |title=Themistocles at Magnesia |journal=The Numismatic Chronicle |volume=148 |year=1988 |page=19 |jstor=42668124}}</ref> c. 465–459 BC]]
Coins are the only contemporary documents remaining from the time of Themistocles.<ref name="TAM" /> Although many coins in antiquity illustrated the images of various gods or symbols, the first [[portrait]]ure of actual rulers only appears in the 5th century&nbsp;BC. Themistocles was probably the first ruler ever to issue coinage with his personal portrait, as he became Achaemenid Governor of [[Magnesia on the Maeander|Magnesia]] in 465–459 BC.<ref>"A rare silver fraction recently identified as a coin of Themistocles from Magnesia even has a bearded portrait of the great man, making it by far the earliest datable portrait coin. Other early portraits can be seen on the coins of Lycian dynasts." {{cite book |last1=Carradice |first1=Ian |last2=Price |first2=Martin |title=Coinage in the Greek World |year=1988 |publisher=Seaby |isbn=978-0-900652-82-0 |page=84 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OVZmAAAAMAAJ}}</ref> Themistocles may have been in a unique position in which he could transfer the notion of individual portraiture, already current in the Greek world, and at the same time wield the dynastic power of an Achaemenid dynast who could issue his own coins and illustrate them as he wished.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Howgego |first1=Christopher |title=Ancient History from Coins |year=2002 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-87784-3 |page=64 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DCC3l5kS5O8C&pg=PA64}}</ref> Still, there is some doubt that his coins may have represented [[Zeus]] rather than himself.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rhodes |first1=P. J. |title=A History of the Classical Greek World: 478–323 BC |year=2011 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-4443-5858-2 |page=58 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5fkjzwJxCA4C&pg=PP58}}</ref>

{{multiple image
| align    = left
| caption_align = center
| direction = vertical
| image1   = Antoninus Pius Themistocles.jpg
| width1   = 200
| caption1 = The statue which Themistocles erected to himself in Magnesia, on a coin of [[Antoninus Pius]]. The name of Themistocles (ΘΕΜ/ΙϹΤΟΚΛΗ/Ϲ) appears around the forearm of the statue.<ref name="TAM19" /> Themistocles is holding a [[patera]] over a lighted altar, with scabbard of sword in sheath at waist; at feet to left, forepart of humpbacked bull lying left.<ref name="Classical Numismatic Group">{{cite web |url=https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=228112 |title=Classical Numismatic Group}}</ref>
| image2   = IONIA, Magnesia ad Maeandrum. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161.jpg
| width2   = 210
| caption2 = Type of the coin of [[Antoninus Pius]] minted in Magnesia, on which appears the statue of Themistocles (138–161 AD).<ref name="TAM19" /><ref name="Classical Numismatic Group" />
}}
During his lifetime, Themistocles is known to have erected two statues to himself, one in Athens, and the other in Magnesia, which would lend credence to the possibility that he also illustrated himself on his coins.<ref name="TAM19" /> The Themistocles statue in Magnesia was illustrated on the reverse of some of the Magnesian coins of Roman Emperor [[Antoninus Pius]] in the 2nd century.<ref name="TAM19">{{cite journal |last1=Cahn |first1=Herbert A. |last2=Gerin |first2=Dominique |title=Themistocles at Magnesia |journal=The Numismatic Chronicle |volume=148 |year=1988 |page=19 |jstor=42668124}}</ref>

The rulers of [[Lycia]] followed towards the end of the 5th century as the most prolific and unambiguous producers of coins displaying the portrait of their rulers.<ref>"The earliest attempts at portraiture appear to have taken place in Lycia. The heads of various dynasts appear on coins of the fifth century" {{cite book |last1=Carradice |first1=Ian |title=Ancient Greek Portrait Coins |year=1978 |publisher=British Museum Publications |isbn=978-0-7141-0849-0 |page=2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4FdmAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref name="SW">{{cite book |last1=West |first1=Shearer |last2=Birmingham |first2=Shearer |title=Portraiture |year=2004 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-284258-9 |page=68 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q3sRDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA68}}</ref> From the time of [[Alexander the Great]], portraiture of the issuing ruler would then become a standard, generalized, feature of coinage.<ref name="SW" />