Cyzicos

Lead

Cast

Square

7.70 cm

7.70 cm

0.80 cm

Mass (g)	Mass (grain)	Date of measurement	Reference	fragmented	cleaned	reference weight
374.55	-	-	CPAI II	No	No	Yes

Symbol	Technique	Direction	Position	Number	Synecdoche
Lizard

CPAI II : Square in form. On the face, a lizard to left; below, ΚΥ Ζ ΙΓ°; above ΤθΟ: ΓΡΑΜ; bottom is blank. ΙΓ after ΚΥΖ(ικηνών) may refer to 13, i.e. 13 Cyzicene staters while letters may refer to Greek numerals : Θ = 9, Τ = 300, Ο = 70. It may be read as 379. This figure is near to its original mass. The word ΓΡΑΜ may refer to γραμμα, a small weight of 1/24 ounce (γραμμοριον). Thus, the numerals may indicate that the weight is 379 grammata. Gramma (Roman scripulus) itself is a very small unit (1.13 g) so this word should be linked with the preceding numerals. If this calculation is right, the mass of the present weight should be 428.27 g (379 × 1.13 g) whereas it is 374.55 g. Besides, if we divide 428.27 to 13 we get 32.94 g that is double of a Cyzicene coin stater of 16.1 g (according to the mass of the present weight of 374.55 g we get 28.81 g). Of course the present weight is later in period than the Classical electrum staters of Cyzicus. Alternatively, if Γ° denotes uncia then ΙΓ° may stand for 10 uncia and ΘΟ for 79 and it makes 10 uncia + 79 gramma (10 × 27.2 g = 272 g + 79 × 1.13 g = 89.27 g, Total 272 + 89.27 = 361.27 g). This figure is quite near to the present mass of the weight. Now Τ above the ΘΟ should be explained (it should denote to ΘΟ and may (speculatively) stand for gramma ?). Appearing of the gramma as a unit name on a weight is ununsual. One example comes from Northern Israel where was found a 22 grammata weight with an abbreviation of ΓΠ (ligature) on it. Consequently, two different weight systems have been indicated on the same weight : Cyzicene system and Roman litra system. This weight needs further study.

No

Language	Technique	Legend type

ΚΥΖ(ικηνών) Ζ ΙΓ°
ΤθΟ: ΓΡΑΜ(μα)

ROMAN

CPAI II : Late Hellenistic - Roman Imperial period.

Name	Date of acquisition	Inventory number
Archaeological Museums Istanbul	Jan. 1, 1887	352 (M)

Reference	Page/Column	Reference (number)	Plate / Figure	Comment
CPAI II	None	033	10	None

CPAI II: For gramma see Liddell - Scott 1968, s.v. γραμμα; and a weight inscribed with the abbreviation of grammata see Holland 2009, pp. 109-112.