VIII.
The last Phœnician medals I shall at present produce, in order to settle the point in view, are[189] two in my possession, intirely agreeing both in type and form, as remarkable as any of the others here touched upon. A similar coin has been published by Sig. Arigoni[190], and another[191] by M. Bouterouë; both of which, on several accounts, merit the attention of the learned. They exhibit on one side the head of Jupiter laureated, with a beard; and on the reverse a double cornucopia, together with three or four Phœnician elements, one or two of which are in a great measure defaced. A brass medal of Sidon occurs in Archbishop Wake’s[192] collection, as well as one in[193] mine, with the head of Jupiter done exactly after the same manner as that on the pieces before me, and Europa carried by a bull on the reverse; which, exclusive of the inscriptions in the exergue, demonstrate the latter to belong to Sidon. The first of mine was struck in the 143d year of the proper æra of that city, and the second five years after. They correct the barbarous date assigned by Sig. Arigoni to his coin. M. Bouterouë has not favoured the learned world with an explication of the medal, of which he has given us a draught. Nor has M. l’Abbé Barthelemy, who likewise mentions this very coin, informed us to what place it appertains; but contented himself with barely[194] observing, that the letters preserved on the reverse are Phœnician. I flatter myself therefore that I shall not be charged with plagiarism by this celebrated antiquary, in case what is here submitted to the consideration of the Royal Society should be so happy as to meet with the approbation of that learned and illustrious body; not even by only acquainting the public, with a sort of politesse so peculiar to his countrymen, that it is now become one of the most distinguishing characteristics of their nation[195], “that a certain Oxford doctor has done him the honour to adopt the explication he had given.”