Abydos is on the coast of the narrowest point of the Hellespont. According to legend, Leander used to swim across the straits to Sestos every night to be with his lover, Hero. He drowned in a storm. The historically most important crossing was made by Xerxes who, in 480 BC, built a bridge of 674 rafts to invade Greece. Because the ruins of Abydos were scavenged for building materials from the 14th to the 19th century, there are practically no remains of the town left today.
Browse the Abydos page with thumbnail images.
| BMC 6 | Abydos, Troas. AR obol. Ca. 480-450 BC. 9.8 mm, 0.80 g. Eagle standing left / Head of Gorgoneion facing within incuse square. BMC 6; SNG Cop 4; SNG Ashmolean 954; Weber 5257; Traité II-2, 2445. | Text | Image |
| BMC 12 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemidrachm. 320-280 BC. Magistrate Anaxikles. 13 mm, 2.5 g. Laureate head of Apollo right. / ABY ANAΞIKΛHΣ, eagle standing left, wings closed, kantharos in lower left field. BMC 12. | Text | Image |
| BMC 16-17 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemidrachm. 320-280 BC. Magistrate Hephaistoleos. 14 mm, 2.4 g. Laureate head of Apollo right. / ABY HΦAIΣTOΛEΩΣ, eagle standing left, wings closed. Nike left holding wreath in lower left field. BMC 16-17; SNG Berry 979; SNG Stockholm 2139; SNG Cop 9; SNG Leipzig 1106. | Text | Image |
| BMC 18 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemidrachm, ca 411-387 BC. 13mm, 2.68 g. Magistrate Kephalos. Laureate head of Apollo right / Eagle standing left; club in wreath to left, KEΦAΛOY to right. BMC 18; SNG Cop. 10; SNG Ashmoleon 966. | Text | Image |
| BMC 25 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemidrachm, ca 387-335 BC. Magistrate Aristokles. 14 mm, 2.54 g. Laureate head of Apollo left. / ABY AΡIΣTOKΛHΣ, eagle standing right, wings closed, crescent at lower right. BMC 25; SNG Munich 8. | Text | Image |
| BMC 26 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemidrachm, ca 350-325 BC. Magistrate Aristokles. 13.3 mm, 2.23 g. Laureate head of Apollo left. / ABY AΡIΣTOKΛHΣ, eagle standing left, wings closed, crescent at lower left. BMC 26. | Text | Image |
| BMC 33 | Abydus AE11. 4th century BC. Laureate head of Apollo right / ABY, eagle standing left. BMC 33. | Text | Image |
| BMC 36 | Abydos, AE23, civic coinage. 320-200 BC. 8.23g. Head of Artemis, facing, turned slightly right, wearing stephane, laureate wreath, earrings and necklace / ABY, eagle standing right, wings open; aplustre to right. SNG Cop. 38; BMC 36; SNG v. Aulock 1448. | Text | Image |
| BMC 37 | Abydos, Troas AE 23mm. ca 300-250 BC. Turreted head of Artemis right, bow and quiver under chin / Eagle standing right on thunderbolt, head turned left; ram's head before. SNG Copenhagen 24. | Text | Image |
| BMC 39 | Abydos, Troas AE 23mm. ca 300-250 BC. Small dies. Turreted head of Artemis right, bow and quiver under chin / Eagle standing right on thunderbolt, head turned left; grain ear before. SNG Copenhagen 40. | Text | Image |
| BMC 41 | Abydos, Troas, Civic coinage, AE 10mm. 320-200 BC. Turreted head of Artemis facing / ABY, eagle standing right, looking left, wings closed, trident to right. BMC 41. | Text | Image |
| BMC 42 | Abydos, Troas AE24. 320-200 BC. Bust of Artemis 3/4 facing to right / ABY above stag standing right, within wreath. | Text | Image |
| BMC 45 | Abydos, AE11, civic coinage, 320-200 BC. Laureate head of Artemis right / ABYΔH, Torch and quiver crossed. BMC 45. | Text | Image |
| BMC 48 | Abydos, civic coinage, AE16, 320-200 BC. Draped bust of laureate Artemis facing / ABYΔH to left, above and right of lyre with four strings. BMC 48; SNG Cop. 52. | Text | Image |
| CNG 229-158 | Abydos, Troas. AR hemiobol, 7mm, 0.51 g. ca 480-450 BC. Eagle standing right / Lyre within incuse square. Not published in the usual sources. CNG Auction 229, lot 158. | Text | Image |
| Head NC 1875-7 | Abydus, Troas, EL Trite, ca 500 BC, 4.66 g. Eagle standing left, with closed wings, looking backwards, dolphin to left / Irregular incuse punch. Head, NC 1875, page 265, plate VII, 7. cf SNG München 1 and BMC Ionia pl. I, 23 (both staters). | Text | Image |
| Mueller 523 | Abydos, Troas. 440-390 BC. AR Tetartemorion 5 mm, 0.14 gr. Eagle's head left / Four-spoked wheel within circular incuse. Unpublished. Mueller Collection 523. Mueller_523 Mueller Collection 523. | Text | Image |
| SNG Cop 4 | Abydos, Troas AR OBol. ca 480-450 BC. Eagle standing left; kylix above / Gorgoneion in incuse square. | Text | Image |
| SNG Cop 6 | Abydos, Troas AR Hemidrachm. 4th century BC. Anaxikles, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo right / ABY, Eagle standing right; kantharos to left, ANAXIKΛHΣ and ivy leaf to right. BMC 12; Boston I 1620; Warren 1036. | Text | Image |
| SNG Cop 18 | Abydos, Troas, 350-325 BC. AR half siglos. Magistrate Epharmostos. 13.4 mm, 2.46 g. Laureate head of Apollo left / ABY EΦAΡMOΣTOΣ, eagle standing left; head of ram in left field, harpa(?) in right field. SNG Cop 18; SNG Ashmolean 970; Weber 5264; Traité II-2, 2462. | Text | Image |
| SNG Cop 27 | Troas, Abydus AE20. 4th to 3rd century BC. Laureate head of Apollo left / ABY, eagle standing right, crescent to right. BMC 35. | Text | Image |
| SNG Cop 40 | Abydos, Troas AE 23mm. 4th century BC. Head of Artemis right / Eagle standing right on thunderbolt; grain-ear at right. | Text | Image |
| SNG Cop 55 | Abydus, Troas, semi-autonomous issue, AD 200-276. ABYDOC, bare head of Abydos right / ABYΔH, the heads and necks of two stags back to back (often described as two bulls in error). SNG Cop 55; Waddington 1064; Mionnet Supp. V, 42; Imhoof Nomisma V, 21. | Text | Image |
| SNG Lewis 858 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemisiglos, ca 350-325 BC. Magistrate Protagoras. 13 mm, 2.59 g. Laureate head of Apollo left. / ABY ΠΡΩTAΓOΡAΣ, eagle standing left, wings closed, trident head at lower left. SNG Lewis 858. | Text | Image |
| SNG Stockholm 2142 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemidrachm, ca 387-335 BC. Magistrate Aristokles. 14 mm, 2.35 g. Laureate head of Apollo right. / ABY AΡIΣTOKΛHΣ, eagle standing right, wings closed, crescent at lower right. SNG Stockholm 2142-2143; SNG Cop 15 corr. (name). | Text | Image |
| SNG vA 1439 | Abydos, Troas. Before 480 BC. AR Triobol. Eagle standing left / Quadripartite incuse. SNG von Aulock 1439; Traité II, 2439. | Text | Image |
| SNG vA 1444 | Abydos, Troas AE17. 3rd century BC. Laureate head of Apollo right / ABY, eagle standing right, tripod before. | Text | Image |
| SNG vA 1447 | Abydos, Civic Coinage. AE 24mm, 320-200 BC. Turreted head of Artemis left / ABY, eagle standing right on thunderbolt, head turned left; kantharos to right. SNG von Aulock 1447. | Text | Image |
| SNG vA 7534 var | Abydos, Troas, AR hemisiglos, ca 350-325 BC. Magistrate Iphiades. 13 mm, 2.54 g. Laureate head of Apollo right. / ABY IΦIAΔHΣ, eagle standing right, wings closed, amphora at lower right. SNG von Aulock 7534 var (same magistrate, different symbol). Paris -; Mionnet -; Isegrim -. | Text | Image |
| SNG vA 7541 | Abydos, Troas AR Tetradrachm. ca 2nd-1st Century BC. Diademed bust of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder / ABY-ΔH-NΩN, eagle standing half right, wings spread, stalk of grain to right, magistrate ΘEΣΠIΔOΣ below, all within laurel wreath. SNG von Aulock 7541; Hermitage 1203. | Text | Image |
| Warren 1035 | Abydos, Troas, AR hemidrachm. 320-280 BC. Magistrate Eukrines. 14 mm, 3.47 g. Laureate head of Apollo right. / ABY EYKΡINHΣ, eagle standing right, wings closed, triskeles in circle in upper right field. Boston I 1618; Warren 1035. | Text | Image |
| wwxls 70 | Abydos, Troas, Civic coinage, AE 11mm. Laureate head of Apollo right / ABY, eagle standing right, wings closed, arrow in drawn bow in right field- Unlisted but known type. wwxls 70. Var of BMC 33 (eagle left, no symbols) and SNG von Aulock 1446 (eagle right but bow only). | Text | Image |
| wwxls 70(2) | Abydos, Troas, Civic coinage, AE 10mm. Laureate head of Apollo right / ABY, eagle standing right, wings closed, long arrow in bow to right. wwxls 70. Unlisted. Var of BMC 33 (eagle standing left, no symbols) and SNG von Aulock 1446 (eagle right but bow only). | Text | Image |
| wwxls 70(3) | Abydos, Troas, Civic coinage, AE 11mm. Laureate head of Apollo right / ABY, eagle standing right, wings closed, long arrow in bow to right. wwxls 70. Unlisted. Var of BMC 33 (eagle standing left, no symbols) and SNG von Aulock 1446 (eagle right but bow only). | Text | Image |
| wwxls 11995 | Abydos, Troas. AR drachm, 15mm, 3.21 gr. ca. 411-387 BC. Magistrate Diogenes. Laureate head of Apollo right / ΔIOΓENHΣ ABY, eagle standing left; bunch of grapes at upper left. wwxls 11995. Unpublished var of BMC 13 (magistrate); SNG Cop. 6-21 var (magistrate and symbol); Hill in NC 1923, 20 (same symbol and magistrate but eagle right). CNG 225, 123. | Text | Image |
| RPC III 1557 | Hadrian AE22 of Abydos, Troas. 6.81 g. AY KAI TΡAIANO AΔΡIANOC CE, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. / ABY beneath octastyle temple, with image of Artemis Ephesia standing facing within, stag standing left behind her. RPC III 1557; Oslo 234591. | Text | Image |
| Weber 5272 | Abydus, Troas, AE10, 0,93 gr. 320-200 BC. Laureate head of Apollo right / ABY, Eagle standing right, wings closed, lyre in right field. Weber 5272. | Text | Image |
| Hauck 21, 341 | Marcus Aurelius, AE29 of Abydus, Troas. Magistrate Zoilos. AD 162-165. 9.34 g. AY KAI M AYΡH ANTΩNEINOC, laureate head right. / EΠ AΡX AI ZΩIΛOY ACIAI YOY ABYΔ (sic), Zeus, naked, standing left, holding patera and sceptre. Hauck & Aufhäuser auction 21, lot 341, March 2009. | Text | Image |
| SNG Righetti 770 | Marcus Aurelius, AE23 of Abydus, Troas, magistrate Zwilos. AYT KAI M AYΡH ANTΩNEINOC, laureate head right / EΠ AΡX AΛI ZΩIΛOY IΠΠ TO Δ ABYΔHN, Poseidon standing right, holding trident and dolphin, foot on rock. SNG Righetti 770 (rev. legend corr.); SNG Tuebingen 2525 (description corr. ("foot on the forepart of a horse"). | Text | Image |
| SNG Copenhagen 60 | Faustina II AE22 of Abydos, Troas. ΦAVCTEINA CEBACTH, draped bust right / AIΛ ZHIΛOY AΔIAΡYA, ABYΔN below, octastyle temple with central statue. Lindgren I 319a. | Text | Image |
| Mionnet 48 | Lucius Verus, AE22 of Abydus, Troas. AYT KAIC A OYHΠ AYΡHΛIOC CEB, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / EΠ AΡX ΠO MEOYIOY, ABYΔHN (in ex.), Hexastyle temple containing cult figure of Artemis Ephesus. Mionnet II, 48. | Text | Image |
| Mabbott 1345 | Commodus, AE37 of Abydos, Troas. AD 177-179. 24.22 g. AY K Λ AYΡH KOMOΔOC ΓEΡM, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. / EΠI AΡX AIΛ ZΩIΛOY TO B ABYΔHN, Leander swimming right, fish below and Eros, holding torch flying right above. Behind Leander is a rock with his helmet, cloak, sword and shield. Before Leander, Hero is standing on top of a tower, holding a lamp. Mabbott 1345; Price 15 in NC 1971; Münzhandlung Basel 8, lot 449 (1937), (this coin). | Text | Image |
| Righetti III, 336 | Commodus, AE33 of Abydos, Troas. AD 180-192. AY.. ΓEΡM KOMOΔOC, draped and cuirassed bust right / EΠI AΡX AIΛ ZωIΛOY T B ABYΔH, Dionysos, holding thyrsos, sitting left on a panther walking right. Righetti Coll, III, 336. | Text | Image |
| BMC 60 | Septimius Severus, AE38 of Abydos, Troas. AD 193-211. Magistrate Faba. Proklos (or Fl. Ba ?). 23.74 g. AY KAI Λ CEΠTIMIOC CEOYHΡOC ΠEΡTIN, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. / EΠI AΡX ΦABA ΠΡOKΛOY ABYΔHN, Leander swimming right, towards Hero standing left on top of a tower, holding a lamp, three fish below. BMC 60 corr (N of city name overlooked); Rhousopoulos 3389 corr. ("Lucius Verus"); Niggeler I 610; Signorelli III 662. | Text | Image |
| Price 486 | Septimius Severus AE Medallic 8 Assaria of Troas, Abydos. AV KAI Λ CEΠTIMIOC CEOYHΡOC ΠEΡTIN, laureate draped bust right / [...ΦA(?)] ΠΡOKΛ, ABYHNΩ-N in two lines in exergue, Alexander III standing armoured on prow of galley right, holding spear, two soldiers behind him, busts of Athena on acrostolium of Alexander's galley and on galley behind, Athena seated right on a 3rd galley, in high tower behind, herald blowing trumpet skyward. | Text | Image |
| CNG 229, 290 | Caracalla, AE18 of Abydus, Troas. AY KAI ANTΩNINOC, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / (ABY)ΔHNΩ, the heads and necks of two stags back to back. BMC 64 var (this rev. type for Sev. Alex.). Unpublished. CNG 229, 290. | Text | Image |
| Hervera 64-342 | Caracalla, AE36mm medallion of Abydos, Troas. 26.60 g. AV KAI M AVΡ ANTΩNEINOC, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / ABYΔHNΩN, Caracalla and Septimius Severus standing to left and right of statue of Artemis Ephesia. Possibly unpublished. Marti Hervera and Soler y Llach, Auction 64, lot 342. | Text | Image |
| BMC 63 | Severus Alexander, AE23 of Troas, Abydus, 222-235 A.D. AYT M AY AΛEXANΔΡO, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / ABYΔHNΩN, Hexastyle temple seen in 3/4 perspective, cult figure of Artemis standing within. BMC 63. | Text | Image |
| SNG vA 7543 | Severus Alexander, AE25 of Abydus, Troas. AD 222-235. 25.78 g. IMP CIMVIP SEV ALEXANDRO AVG, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right. / ABYΔHNΩN, Leander swimming right towards Hero, holding a lamp and standing left on a tower, Eros, holding torch, flying right above, sword in sheath in upper left field. SNG von Aulock 7543 (this coin); Franke KZR 293; Mionnet II, 60. | Text | Image |
| Waddington 1078 | Severus Alexander, AE25 of Abydus, Troas. AY KAI AYΡ CEOYH AΛEXANΔΡOC, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right / EΠ AΡ AY ΠΡOKΛOY ABY, Poseidon, naked, standing right, foot on rock, holding trident and dolphin. Waddington 1078; Paris 107; BMC 62 var (obv. legend). | Text | Image |
| Imhoof 25 | Maximinus I, AE of Abydos, Troas. 235-238 AD. 22.80 g. AYΓ IOY OYH MAXIMEINOC, laureate, draped, cuirassed bust right / ...ABYΔHN, Alexander III holding spear, standing on galley with two soldiers, bust of Athena decorating the acrostolion. To the left, Athena sitting on a second galley right, in the background a tower surmounted by a herold with a trumpet. Imhoof 25. | Text | Image |
| Imhoof GM 204 | Maximus AE38 of Abydos, Troas. AD 235-238. 18.49 g. Γ IOY OYH MAΞIMOC K, bare-headed, draped, cuirassed bust right. / ABYΔHN ABYΔOC, Abydos, naked, standing left, holding sceptre and resting left hand on a prow, cow standing left, looking back, suckling calf, tree in the background. Imhoof GM 204; Imhoof Nomisma V,19; Rhousopoulos 3391; RPC VI, 3934. | Text | Image |
