AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightThat scenes depicting items called prize crowns and showing their actual function are not found in the coin types suggests that they, being a symbol of agons, were most likely used as prize cups given to the winners rather than as actual crowns.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
The present article deals with the definition and naming issues regarding agonistic prize crowns, which functioned like a prize cup. It then focuses on the agonistic prize crowns observed on Pergaian coins of the Roman Imperial period. Although agonistic coin iconography features great variety like wreaths, amphorae, urns for drawing lots, purses, athletes, agon personifications, depictions of agonothetes or gymnasiarchos and temples, the most prominent and frequent type is the agonistic prize crowns - given also as prize cups at the end of sports contests today.As there are no extant examples of prize crowns, their composition material and function are still debated today. It is thought that they were made like weaving a basket from non-durable organic materials such as branches and reeds and ornamented with leaves, flowers, precious gems and metals. Apart from a few examples, there is no evidence that victors carried prize crowns on their heads. Thus it is plausible to suggest that they had the function of a prize cup. These depictions, which in time became a symbol of agonistic festivals, are found on the Pergaian coins of the period from the reign of Trebonianus Gallus (A.D. 251-253) through the reign of Tacitus (A.D. 275-276). The prize crowns decorated with various geometric motifs contain palm branches, and the bands above them contain the names of the agons and inscriptions regarding their character. As is the case with other cities of Asia Minor, coins of Perge do not have any scenes depicting the prize crowns on the heads of the athletes, like regular crowns. A series from the reign of Gallienus (A.D. 253-268) depicts a scene in which three athletes draw lots from an amphora; the prize crown is depicted in the field above the head of the athlete in the centre. The prize crowns are usually depicted singly, or as two or three of them together, on top of a table with curving lion-paw legs. On some types the crowns are depicted in the hand of the city goddess and Zeus. That scenes depicting items called prize crowns and showing their actual function are not found in the coin types suggests that they, being a symbol of agons, were most likely used as prize cups given to the winners rather than as actual crowns.