Independent Coinage of the Warrior Cities of Pisidia: Selge and Termessos

In southern Anatolia, the rugged and impassable geography of the Taurus Mountains, rising just beyond the fertile plain of Pamphylia, was known in antiquity as Pisidia. This mountainous region, throughout history, great

empires found most difficult to control, home to warrior and independent-spirited peoples. Conquerors such as the Lydians, Persians, and even Alexander the Great were never able to fully dominate all of Pisidia. This stubborn spirit of independence is also evident in the coinage issued from the mints of Selge and Termessos, two of the region's most important cities. The coins of these cities are not merely means of payment, but also manifestos upon which these rebellious children of the mountains engraved their own identities, power, and autonomy.  

Selge: Wrestlers of the Mountains. Selge, one of Pisidia's most important and earliest coin-issuing cities, adopted a surprisingly similar numismatic tradition to its neighbor Aspendos in Pamphylia. From the 4th century BCE onwards, the obverse of its silver staters depicts two wrestlers grappling, similar to those of Aspendos. On the reverse, again similar to Aspendos, there is a slinger and a triskeles, the city's emblem. This iconographic similarity suggests a strong cultural and perhaps economic link between the two cities. Both presented themselves as powerful and civilized societies by embracing the athletic and military ideals of the Hellenic world.  

However, Selge's coinage distinguishes itself from Aspendos with unique details. The symbol of the "astragalos" (knucklebone), placed between the wrestlers or next to the slinger, is a characteristic feature of Selge's coins. This bone, a gaming piece in antiquity, perhaps symbolized luck or fate. Selge's smaller silver obols, however, feature a more original design: a fearsome Gorgon head (Medusa) on the obverse, and a helmeted head of Athena on the reverse. These designs demonstrate Selge's adherence to regional traditions as well as its desire to forge its own distinct identity.  

Termessos: The Coinage of the Eagle's Nest. Termessos, founded on a plateau near the summit of Mount Güllük in southwestern Pisidia, was known as the "Eagle's Nest" and lived up to this moniker completely. The city was in such a rugged and naturally fortified position that even Alexander the Great, who conquered Anatolia in 333 BCE, did not attempt to besiege it, but bypassed it. This invulnerability became a source of pride in Termessos's history. In 71 BCE, the city formed an alliance with Rome and was recognized by the Roman Senate as a fully independent ally. This special status is documented by the title "AVTONOMΩΝ" (Autonomous/Independent) proudly borne on Termessos's coinage.  

Termessos's coin production began in the 1st century BCE, after it gained this independent status. The main themes of the city's bronze coinage are symbols of power and sovereignty. The obverse typically features a laureate portrait of Zeus, king of the gods. On the reverse, the most common depiction is a galloping or rearing horse. The horse represented both military power (cavalry) and its importance in Pisidia's mountainous geography. On some coins, the forepart of a horse (protome) and a thunderbolt symbol are used together, combining the strength of the horse with the power of Zeus.  

Even during the Roman Imperial period, Termessos continued to strike "pseudo-autonomous" coinage, using its own deities (Zeus, Hermes, Artemis) or Solymos, believed to be the city's legendary founder, on the obverse instead of an imperial portrait. This demonstrates the balance between the city's loyalty to Rome and its pride in its own deeply rooted identity.  

In conclusion, the coinage of these two warrior cities of Pisidia tells us a story of a character shaped by the geography of the mountains. While Selge was a power center engaged in cultural exchange with its neighbors but preserving its own symbols, Termessos inscribed the full independence brought by its inaccessible location and political acumen into every corner of its coinage. These coins are the metallic legacy of a free-spirited people who set their own rules, even on the maps of great empires.

Sources:
https://archaeology.brown.edu/native-publications/dating-coinage-alexander-great
https://www.vcoins.com/en/coins/ancient/greek/pisidia-1369.aspx
https://www.coinarchives.com/a/results.php?search=pisidia+selge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Termessos
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/pisidia/termessos_major/
https://www.turkishmuseums.com/museum/detail/1966-antalya-myra-archaeological-site/1966/4