Monete delle tre dee più belle dell’Olimpo

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Salve

Il mito vuole che quando Eris, la dea della discordia, lanciò sul tavolo dove si stava svolgendo il banchetto in onore del matrimonio di Peleo e Teti la mela d’oro con la scritta “alla più bella”, scoppiò una lite furibonda tra Era, Afrodite e Atena, in quanto ciascuna di esse si sentiva legittimamente destinataria del dono avendo tutti gli attributi necessari per il titolo di “Miss Universo”.

Questa discussione è destinata alle monete che mettono in evidenza la bellezza della regina degli dei, della dea della bellezza e della dea della saggezza.

Lo statere di Tarentum della prossima NAC 114 mi dà l’occasione di aprire le danze con la regina degli dèi.

Calabria, Tarentum. Half stater circa 333-331/0, AV 4.26 g. TAPANTINΩN Head of Hera r., wearing stephane, triple-pendant earring and necklace; in l. field, E. Rev. TAPAΣ Dolphin rider l., holding small dolphin on outstretched r. hand and trident in l.; below, T – K. Vlasto 5. de Luynes 247 These dies). Jameson 149 (these dies). AMB 90 (these dies). Fischer-Bossert G7h (this coin). Historia Numorum Italy 902.
Very rare and possibly the finest specimen in private hands. A portrait of exquisite
style, work of a very talented master engraver. Extremely fine

Ex NAC 8, 1995, 127 and Ira & Larry Goldberg 72, 2013, 4005 sales.

In the late fourth century BC, Taras fell under increasing pressure from neighbouring Italic peoples, particularly the Lucanians and the related Brettians. As a means of defending themselves against the growing threat, the Tarentines took to hiring foreign mercenary commanders and their armies. These commanders were often important and powerful figures in mainland Greece. In 340 BC, the Tarentines hired Archidamos III, the Eurypontid Spartan king to wage war against their enemies. When the Lucanian menace was renewed in 334 BC, the Tarentines hired Alexander I of Epeiros, the Molossian king who was not only brother to Olympias and uncle to Alexander the Great, but also father of Pyrrhos, whose own Italian adventures are the subject of legends. Alexander the Molossian was very keen to take up the call for military aid both in an effort to parallel the glory enjoyed by his Macedonian nephew as he began the conquest of the Persian Empire and to cheat an oracle that linked the doom of Alexander I to the river Acheron and the city of Pandosia—both in Epeiros, he assumed. From 333 to 332 BC, Alexander the Molossian was extremely successful, inflicting numerous defeats on the Lucanians, Brettians, and Samnites, recapturing Greek cities, like Herakleia (a colony of Taras) and Metapontion, and even seizing several Brettian settlements. However, by 331 BC his relationship with the Tarentines had begun to fray due to the king’s meddling in the civic politics of the region, and the Lucanians and Brettians were prepared to renew the conflict. Alexander I encamped with his army on three hills on the border between Lucania and Bruttium near a small city, but found himself besieged by the enemy during a heavy rainfall. He attempted to escape the battle by fording a nearby river, but was killed by a Lucanian spear. The name of the river turned out to be the Acheron and that of the nearby city, Pandosia. It was bad luck for Alexander the Molossian that Greek colonists in other lands often had a taste for naming cities and local geographical features after those in their homeland. This beautiful gold hemistater was struck at Taras as part of the financial support for the great army of Epeirote and Italiote Greek mercenaries that Alexander I led. Fending off barbarians was never cheap and one can only imagine how much more expensive it made things to have a king serving as mercenary commander. The obverse depicts Hera, a goddess often favoured by Dorian Greek peoples, like the Tarentines, while the reverse features a dolphin rider—a popular type at Taras. There is disagreement among numismatists as to whether this rider is correctly identified as Taras, the mythological eponymous founder of the city or as Phalanthos, the historical oecist responsible for the foundation of Taras. Both have stories attached to them of being saved by dolphins when they were at risk of drowning. In this particular case since the rider carries a trident, the weapon of Poseidon, and Taras was said to be the son of the same god it may be more likely that we are looking at Taras rather than Phalanthos here.

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Statere di Afrodite (Nomos 6).

MYSIA, Kyzikos. Circa 400 BC. Stater (Electrum, 16.00 g). Head of Aphrodite to left, wearing diadem ornamented with a palmette, a flower over her forehead and a pendant earring; below truncation, tunny fish swimming to left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. BMFA 1553. Gulbenkian 647. SNG France 287. SNG von Aulock 7316. Von Fritze 135. Very rare. Attractively toned and with a lovely classical head of Aphrodite. About extremely fine.

From the Outstanding Collection, Leu 81, 16 May 2001, 248 and ex Christie’s, London, 7 October 1986, 117.

The head of Aphrodite on this coin is particularly elegant in form. In the catalogue of the collection of the Cabinet des Médailles in Paris this type is dated, in error, to c. 500-450 BC. The date of c. 400, as used by Jenkins in his Gulbenkian catalogue, is much preferable.

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Statere di Atena (The New York Sale, Auction 9).

GREEK COINS. MYSIA - CYZICUS
No.: 86 Estimation: $ 12500 d=21 mm
Stater, electrum, about 440-430. EL 16.08 g. Head of Athena facing three-quarters r. with triple-crested Attic helmet, hair in heavy, twisted locks on either side of the head; below tunny r. Rev. Four-part incuse square with slightly granulated fields. H. von Fritze, Die Elektronprägung von Kyzikos, NOMISMA 7 (1912), 11, 133. Boston 1503. SNG BN Paris 285. Rare. Excellent style. Well centered. Irregular, triangular flan.
Extremely fine.

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La regina degli dèi sull’argento in questo statere di Bruttium (Spink 5014).

Description

Bruttium, Kroton (c. 360-330 B.C.), AR Stater, 7.66g., head of Hera, facing three-quarters to right, rev. KPOTÙNIA[TA]N, naked Herakles sitting left on rock draped with lion's skin, holding cup and club (SNG ANS 371; Rutter 2167 var.; BMC 92), metal-flaw on rev., attractively toned, nearly extremely fine, rare
Estimate £ 1,800-2,200

 

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La dea della bellezza sull’argento in questo tetradramma di Knidos (CNG 105).

Artistic Merit

CARIA, Knidos. Circa 350-330/20 BC. AR Tetradrachm (27.5mm, 15.00 g, 12h). Theumelon, magistrate. Head of Aphrodite right, hair tied at back, wearing stephanos, triple-pendant earring, and pearl necklace; behind neck, Phrygian helmet right / Forepart of lion right; ΘEYMEΛΩN to upper right, KNI below. Ashton, Late 14 (A8/P14); SNG Copenhagen –; SNG Keckman –; BMC 39A (same obv. die); Gulbenkian 1004 = Jameson 1537a (same dies). EF, lightly toned. Well centered and struck on a broad flan. Very rare.

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Atena sull’argento in questo distatere di Thourioi (CNG The Coin Shop 410295).

Ex Knopke Collection

LUCANIA, Thourioi. Circa 400-350 BC. AR Distater (25mm, 15.96 g, 8h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated on its bowl with Skylla scanning; 5dbehind neck guard / Bull butting right; QoUr5W@ above; in exergue, fish right. Noe, Thurian F30 (same dies); HN Italy 1803; SNG Lloyd 486 (same obv. die); BMC 29 (same dies); Dewing 430 (same obv. die); Gillet 230 (same dies). Good VF, toned, faint cleaning marks, graffito (AΠ) on bull.

From the Friend of a Scholar Collection. Ex Olga H. Knopke Collection (Glendining’s, with Baldwin’s, 10 December 1986), lot 42.

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Testa velata di Era frontale sul diritto di questo bronzo della zecca di Perrhaiboi in Tessaglia (Heritage Auctions 3035).

THESSALY. Perrhaiboi. 4th Century BC. Æ trichalkon (21mm, 8.39 gm, 5h). Veiled head of Hera facing slightly left / ΠEPP[AI]–Β[ΩN], Zeus standing left, holding thunderbolt and scepter. BCD Thessaly II 556 (same dies). Glossy green and brown patina. Struck from dies of exceptional style. Choice Extremely Fine. Ex BCD Collection.

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Testa di Afrodite con i capelli tenuti da un nastro sul diritto di questo bronzo tolemaico di Filippo I Sotere (CNG 428).

PTOLEMAIC KINGS of EGYPT. Ptolemy I Soter. As satrap, 323-305 BC. Æ Dichalkon (16mm, 4.58 g, 1h). Paphos mint. Struck circa 310-305 BC. Head of Aphrodite Paphia right, wearing tainia / Eagle standing left on thunderbolt. Svoronos 79; SNG Copenhagen 643. VF, dark green patina, hairline flan crack. Well centered. Very rare.

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Testa di Atena con elmo attico a tripla cresta decorato con serpenti su questa emidramma in bronzo di Morgantina, in Sicilia (CNG The Coin Shop 806247).

SICILY, Morgantina. Circa 339/8-317 BC. Æ Hemidrachm (25mm, 18.10 g, 9h). MOPΓANTINΩN, head of Athena right, wearing triple-crested Attic helmet decorated with serpents; behind neck guard, owl standing right, head facing / Lion standing right, devouring stag’s head; Γ above, coiled serpent below. Erim & Jaunzems issue 6, 1 (O1/R1); Castrizio series I, 2; CNS 2; Rizzo pl. LX, 7; Basel 375; SNG Morcom 640; SNG ANS -; SNG Lloyd -; BMC 7-8 (same dies); McClean 2454 (same dies). EF, dark green patina with light earthen highlights. Exceptional strike and centering for issue.

Ex Numismatica Ars Classica 7 (2 March 1994), lot 192.

Morgantina was founded by Chalcidean colonists in the early-mid sixth century BC, although the site appears to have been inhabited by natives from prehistoric times. In the mid-late fifth century, the city fell under Syracusan and then Kamarinan control. Dionysios I reconquered the city in 396 BC, and Morgantina allied itself with Timoleon after the victory at Adranon in 344. At the beginning of the Second Punic War, the Romans garrisoned the city, but it later fell to the Carthaginians. Punic mercenaries from Iberia and Libya were stationed there in 212 and 211 BC, but the city was eventually retaken by the Romans, who maintained control of Morgantina until it ceased to exist during the Empire.

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Proseguendo nel mito che ha introdotto la discussione, Zeus, stanco del litigio tra Era, Afrodite e Pallade Atena per rivendicare a sé la mela della discordia, ordinò a Ermes di portare le tre contendenti sul Monte Ida e che Paride facesse da giudice. A lui le tre dee, per ingraziarsene il giudizio, promisero svariate ricompense: Atena gli promise che non avrebbe mai perso una guerra ed Era che gli avrebbe conferito poteri immensi (secondo altre fonti gli offrì invece l'Asia minore). Paride scelse però come vincitrice Afrodite, che gli aveva promesso l'amore di Elena, la donna più bella della Terra. Sarà questa la causa scatenante della guerra di Troia.

Il giudizio di Paride è raffigurato sul rovescio di questa moneta (Triton XX).

The Judgment of Paris

TROAS, Ilium. Commodus. As Caesar, AD 166-177. Æ (31mm, 14.22 g, 1h). Struck AD 174/5-177. AV K Λ AVPH KOMOΔOC, bareheaded and draped bust right / The Judgment of Paris: Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite standing right before Paris seated left below tree, wearing Phrygian cap and holding apple in right hand and pedum in left; syrinx (panpipes) in field above, IΛIЄΩN in exergue. Unpublished in the standard references. Good VF, dark green patina, some smoothing and cleaning marks, light doubling on obverse. Interesting mythological scene.

Ex David Szapary-Donadello Collection.

The Judgment of Paris, a mythical “beauty contest” of sorts, serves as a prelude to the Trojan War and thus is wholly appropriate for Ilium, a city believed to have been founded over Homeric Troy. Eris, goddess of discord, was excluded from a feast thrown by Zeus, but the scorned deity arrived uninvited with a golden apple inscribed “for the fairest.” Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each claimed the apple, and Zeus was asked to award it to the most beautiful. Zeus, wishing to avoid this uncomfortable situation, appointed the mortal Paris as judge, as the shepherd and prince of Troy had a reputation for his fairness. Each goddess attempted to sway Paris with a bribe in order to win the apple: Athena offered him incredible skill in battle, Hera offered him an immense kingdom, and Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus. Paris could not refuse Aphrodite’s offer, setting in motion the war between the Greeks and Trojans.

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Il giudizio di Paride ha ispirato numerosi artisti nel campo della pittura, uno per tutti Joachim Wtewael (1615) autore di questo dipinto.

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Il giudizio di Paride è stato anche fonte di ispirazione nella ceramica etrusca e nella scultura, oltre ad essere il titolo di un’operetta in un atto, libretto e musica di Marcello Panni.

Però a me piace ricordarlo come fonte di ispirazione nel campo dell’enigmistica, in particolare di questo rebus

(Leonardo, 1989; disegno di La Brighella)

Il rebus è piuttosto impegnativo e l’indizio che posso dare è che la risoluzione esprime il sentimento che devono aver provato Era ed Atena, le due dee sconfitte, dopo che Paride ha emesso il suo verdetto.

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Delizioso profilo di Atena su questo tetradramma di Eraclea al Latmo, antica città greca della Ionia situata ai piedi del Monte Latmo (Nomos 18).

IONIA. Herakleia ad Latmon. Circa 150-142 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 32 mm, 16.73 g, 9 h). Head of Athena to right, wearing triple-crested Attic helmet with raised ear flaps, a bowl ornamented with tendrils and Pegasos, and a visor decorated with six horse protomes, a pendant earring and a pearl necklace. Rev. ΗΡΑΚΛΕΩΤΩΝ Club to right; below, owl standing facing, turned slightly to right, between two monograms; all within an oak wreath tied on the left. SNG Lockett 2824. SNG von Aulock 1977. Of truly elegant style, beautifully toned, well-centered and very well-struck on a broad flan. One of the prettiest of all the known tetradrachms of Herakleia. Some flatness of strike on the reverse, otherwise, extremely fine.
From a European collection, ex Sternberg VIII, 16 November 1978, 112.

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Profilo di Afrodite su una dramma di Corinto (NAC 114).

Corinthia, Corinth. Drachm circa 330-300, AR 2.37g. Pegasus flying l.; below, [koppa]. Rev. Head of Aphrodite l., wearing stephane: in r. field, monogram. BMC 410. Pozzi 1715 (these dies). BCD –.
Light iridescent tone and extremely fine

Ex M&M Numismatics sale I, 1997, 100. From the Harald Salvesen collection.

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Testa turrita di Afrodite su uno statere di Evagoras II (NAC 114).

Evagoras II, 361 – 351. Stater circa 361-351, AV 8.32 g. EYA; Turreted head of Aphrodite l. Rev. BA Lion standing l., devouring prey; eagle on its back; above, star. BMC p. cv, 1 and pl. XXIV, 11. Tziambazis 123. Markou, L’or 368 (this coin). Kraay-Hirmer, pl. 195, 679 (this coin illustrated).
Of the highest rarity, only three specimens known of this variety and five of this type, of which only two are in private hands. A magnificent portrait of fine Hellenistic style and an interesting reverse composition. Perfectly struck in high relief, reverse slightly off-centre, otherwise good extremely fine.
Ex Hess-Leu 12-13 April 1962, 339 and Leu 30, 1998, 199 sales.
Evagoras II was probably the grandson of Evagoras I, the greatest Greek king of Salamis in the early fourth century BC. However, whereas Evagoras I had strongly pursued alliances with Athens, as a means of expanding the power of Salamis and maintaining its independence from the Persian Empire, Evagoras II was subservient to the Great King. His pro-Persian policies offended his people’s desire for autonomy like other Greek states and in 351 BC he was overthrown in a popular uprising led by his nephew, Pnytagoras. Evagoras II was forced to flee from Cyprus and escaped to the Persian court of Artaxerxes III. The Great King rewarded his former loyalty by making him governor of Sidon in the stead of its rebellious Phoenician governor. Unfortunately, Evagoras II proved to be as obnoxious to the Sidonians as he had been to the Salaminians and in 346 BC, after only three years in power, he was forced to flee from Phoenicia to Cyprus. There was a bitter homecoming awaiting him. Upon his arrival, Evagoras II was arrested and executed on the orders of Pnytagoras. This beautiful gold stater features the head of Aphrodite wearing the turreted crown of a city-goddess. Aphrodite, who was sometimes given the epithet Cypris (”Lady of Cyprus”), was widely worshipped on the island. This was attributed by the Greeks to the mythological tradition that she was born from the sea foam in the waters off its shores. In reality, she was the Greek equivalent to the Semitic goddess Astarte worshipped by the Phoenician population of Cyprus. Interestingly, despite the pro-Persian stance of Evagoras II, his coinage is probably the most Hellenic in style of all the kings of Salamis who preceded him. He was the first to abandon the old Cypriot syllabary in favour of the Greek alphabet for his coin inscriptions.

 

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Profilo della regina degli dèi sul diritto di questo didramma di Termini Imerese, in Sicilia (Roma Numismatics 6).

Sicily, Thermai Himerensis AR Didrachm. Circa 365-350 BC. Head of Hera right, wearing stephane ornamented with foreparts of three griffins to right; dolphin behind, ΘERMITAN around / Youthful Herakles seated nude to left on rock covered with lion's skin, holding club downwards in right hand and resting left on rock; behind, strung bow and quiver with strap. Jenkins, Punic, pl.22, 7; BMC 1; de Luynes 983; Regling, Die Antike Münze Als Kunstwerk, 733. 8.51g, 24mm, 8h. Extremely Fine. Reverse double-struck. Extremely Rare, the fourth known example and the only one in private hands. Thermai was founded in the wake of the utter destruction of Himera and the slaughter of the majority of its citizens by the Carthaginian general Hannibal Mago, when the survivors of this devastation relocated to the nearby hot springs whose original discovery lay in myth associated with the wanderings of the hero Herakles (Diodorus Siculus iv. 23, v. 3). Though the site had long been inhabited, it was now swelled by the displaced Himerans, and the newly enlarged town was thereafter considered to be the successor to the old city of Himera, and in time appears to have become a sizeable settlement, though now subject to Carthaginian rule. The first series of coinage at Thermai appear to have been tetradrachms in Punic style produced in the first half of the fourth century, in all likelihood created by engravers imported from one of the other Punic dominated cities, probably Panormos. These issues, which are today very rare, bear the distinctive sharp features associated with the contemporary work of that mint. It is probable that the didrachm issue which is known from only one set of dies, was an item of some prestige that was closely associated with the later and much greater issue of litrai in the mid fourth century. Greek in style, both denominations display an image of a youthful Herakles that appears to bear distinct resemblance to the seated figure of Pan on the staters of the Arkadian League (Jameson 1276), struck circa 363/2 BC, and to the staters of Kroton (Jameson 429) struck circa 420 BC). While it is certainly possible that this reverse type was independently devised without external influence, it is tempting to see in the positioning of Herakles a close parallel with the Arkadian reverse, especially given that the two issues should be considered contemporary to each other. The head of Hera meanwhile finds its closest parallels in the coinage of Argos, circa 370-350 BC, notably Jameson 1255 (drachm) and BMC 38 (stater). Whatever the reason or occasion for the issue of this superb type, it and its accompanying litrai represent the period of finest numismatic art at Thermai, which never again issued silver coinage of such artistic merit.

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Testa di Atena elmata di fronte sul bronzo di Antioco I Sotere, zecca di Smirne o di Sardi (CNG 108).

SELEUKID EMPIRE. Antiochos I Soter. 281-261 BC. Æ (18mm, 5.67 g, 12h). Smyrna or Sardes mint. Helmeted head of Athena facing / Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm frond; monogram to outer left, monogram-in-wreath below right wing. SC 314c; HGC 9, 145. Good VF, attractive dark green patina.

From the MNL Collection. Ex Numismatik Naumann 45 (3 July 2016), lot 292.

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Testa di Atena con elmo decorato con Scilla su una dramma di Tarentum in Calabria (CNG The Coin Shop 431947).

CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 302-280 BC. AR Drachm (17.5mm, 3.24 g, 2h). Head of Athena right, wearing crested Attic helm decorated with Skylla / Owl standing right; to right, IOP upwards over olive branch; TAP upwards to left. Vlasto 1047-53; HN Italy 975; SNG ANS 1304 (same dies). Good VF, toned. Well centered and struck on a broad flan.

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Il giudizio di Paride su un bronzo di Antonino Pio coniato ad Alessandria d’Egitto (Triton XXI).

Mythological & Pictorial Types
The Judgment of Paris

The Staffieri Collection 
EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (35mm, 26.34 g, 12h). Dated RY 5 (AD 141/142). AVTOKPA KAIC A∆P ANTωNINOC L Є (date), bare head right / The Judgment of Paris – Raised platform upon which from left to right: Aphrodite standing facing, head left; Hera standing facing, holding long scepter and looking right; Athena standing facing, head left, holding spear with her left hand and balancing shield on platform with her right (all goddesses wearing their usual attire); to their left on the ground: Hermes standing facing, head left, looking at Paris, left hand raised and pointed at Aphrodite; to his left, Paris standing slightly right; above, L Є (date) and Eros flying right (not visible on this specimen); various animals before platform. Köln 1406 var. (obv. bust type and legend, same rev. die); Dattari (Savio) 2998; K&G 35.154; Emmett 1632.5 (R4); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 139 (this coin). Good VF, dark brown patina with touches of green. Extremely rare. None in CoinArchives. This coin shares the same dies with the Wetterstrom specimen (CNA XIII, lot 220).
 

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex Gilbert Steinberg Collection (Numismatica Ars Classica/Spink Taisei Numismatics, Zürich, 16 November 1994), lot 841; Walter Niggeler Collection (Part 2, Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen, 21 October 1966), lot 729; Münzen und Medaillen AG XIII (17 June 1954), lot 948.
Another great rarity from the Alexandrian mythological type series, and the only example to be sold since the Wetterstrom example in 1990, which was of comparable quality and from the same pair of dies. Also, this coin uses the extremely rare dated obverse die with L Є appearing at the end of the obverse legend.
The Judgment of Paris, a mythical "beauty contest" of sorts, serves as a prelude to the Trojan War. Eris, goddess of discord, was excluded from a feast thrown by Zeus, but the scorned deity arrived uninvited with a golden apple inscribed "for the fairest." Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each claimed the apple, and Zeus was asked to award it to the most beautiful. Zeus, wishing to avoid this uncomfortable situation, appointed the mortal Paris as judge, as the shepherd and prince of Troy had a reputation for his fairness. Each goddess attempted to sway Paris with a bribe in order to win the apple: Athena offered him incredible skill in battle, Hera offered him an immense kingdom, and Aphrodite offered him the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen of Sparta, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus. Paris could not refuse Aphrodite's offer, setting in motion the war between the Greeks and Trojans.

La moneta, stimata $15000, è stata aggiudicata a un hammer di $32500. 

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Contorniato del poeta greco Omero (Triton XIII).

L'interpretazione più probabile dei personaggi sul rovescio è che si tratti di Elena e Paride, in una scena di felice intimità. Nonostante il rapimento di Elena da parte di Paride abbia causato la guerra di Troia, un evento che ha avuto un esito disastroso per i Troiani, questa particolare scena è ancora in linea con il contesto festivo del contorniato.

The Greek Poet Homer

Contorniates. Late 4th century AD. Æ Contorniate (24.41 g, 12h). ωMH POC, bareheaded and draped bust of Greek epic poet Homer right; incuse PLE monogam to right / Helen standing right, clasping right hand with Paris (Alexander), who stands facing, head left, and wears Phrygian cap; Helen also touches his cheek with her left hand. Alföldi, Kontorniat 94 (Hector and Andromache), but without additional monogram. Near EF, attractive warm brown patina, a few minor pits on reverse. Extremely rare, only the second one known and the only one not in a public collection.

Based on the poorly preserved specimen known to him, Alföli described the reverse of this contorniate as depicting the farewell of Hector and Andromache, recounted in Book VI of Homer’s Iliad. Such an attribution is problematic for three reasons. First, Homer’s depiction of the farewell of Hector and Andromache is one of great sadness and pity, something quite out of place in the context of a festival or victory at the games for which these contorniates were intended. Secondly, the poorly preserved state of the example from the Museo Nazionale in Rome (the only specimen known to Alföldi), could be interpreted to show a man in military dress. Our example, however, clearly shows that the man’s headgear is a Phrgyian cap and that he is dressed for a journey and not for battle. Finally, Astyanax, the infant son of Hector and Andromache, who is central to the episode and should appear somewhere in this scene, is noticeably missing.

The more likely interpretation is that the figures represent Helen and Paris. The scene is one of happy intimacy between a man and a woman, and, although the abduction of Helen by Paris precipitated the Trojan War, and event which had a disastrous outcome for the Trojans, this particular scene is still in keeping with the contorniate’s festive context. The man’s outfit would comport with other known illustrations of Paris (cf. http://www.sewanee.edu/faculty/seiters/classdoc/images/U/14u.jpg [1st century AD painting from Pompeii];  [2nd century AD mosaic from Antioch]).

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Nomos di Eraclea della nomos 18 con testa frontale di Atena di tre quarti.

LUCANIA. Herakleia. Circa 340-330 BC. Nomos (Silver, 22 mm, 7.92 g, 12 h), circa 360-350. Head of Athena, three-quarters facing and turned slightly to the right, wearing a triple-crested Attic helmet. Rev. [⊦]ΗΡΑΚΛΗΙ[ΩΝ] Herakles standing facing, turned slightly to the right, grappling with the Nemean lion; to left, at Herakles' feet, bow and club. HN III 1375. Jameson 238. Work 22. Very rare. Clear and bright. Some very minor cleaning scratches, otherwise, good very fine.
From a Swiss collection formed prior to 2005.

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Bronzo di Vibo Valentia con la testa di Era (Hirsch 348).

GRIECHISCHE MÜNZEN, ITALIEN, BRUTTIUM, VIBO VALENTIA.
AE-20 mm. Semis. 192-89. Herakopf r. Wertzeichen S. Rs: Doppelfüllhorn. Beizeichen Krater, darüber Wertzeichen S. SNG COP. 1842. SNG München 1381 f. Schöne grüne Patina. ss
Ex Sammlung R.P. Erworben 1997.

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Nomos di Crotone della nomos 18 con testa frontale di Era Lakinia di tre quarti.

BRUTTIUM. Kroton. Circa 400-325 BC. Nomos (Silver, 21 mm, 7.58 g, 7 h). Head of Hera Lakinia three-quarters facing, turned slightly to the right, wearing stephane ornamented with palmettes; in field to right, Β. Rev. ΚΡΟΤΩΝΙΑΤΑΝ Youthful Herakles seated to left on a rock draped with his lion's skin, holding a one-handled cup in his right hand and resting his left on his club; below, bow. Gulbenkian 131 (same dies). HN III 2169. Kraay & Hirmer 270 = de Luÿnes 728 (same dies). SNG ANS 375 (same dies). Very rare. A splendid piece, of fine late classical style, nicely struck and centered. With the usual die break on Hera's neck, some traces of corrosion and cleaning, and with a minor grafitto on the reverse, otherwise, about extremely fine.
From a Swiss collection, formed prior to 2005.

This coin bears a head of Hera that is, like so many other facing heads, derived from Kimon’s Arethusa at Syracuse. The figure of Herakles is probably taken from a 5th century statue that was erected in Kroton to honor him as the city's mythical founder.

[apollonia]

Statere da Tarentum con la testa di Era (NAC 48).

A remarkable selection of Greek Coins 
Calabria, Tarentum
Stater circa 302, AV 8.55 g. TAPA Veiled and diademed head of Hera r., wearing earring and necklace; below chin, dolphin swimming downwards. Behind neck, IOP. Rev. Horse stepping r., crowned by rider; in field l., ΣΙ. Beneath horse, tripod. Vlasto –. de Luynes 242 (these dies). SNG France 1842 (these dies). Fischer-Bossert G 19. Historia Numorum Italy 953. 
Of the highest rarity, only the second and by far the finest specimen known. A delicate 
portrait by a skilled master engraver. An insignificant mark on neck, 
otherwise extremely fine / good extremely fine
The reverse of this gold stater falls comfortably within the scope of Tarentine coin designs showing horsemen in a range of riding styles and riding activities that illustrate horses in every pose, from standing to leaping in high action. In this case we have a relatively sedentary scene, but one which certainly relates to a victory in a horse race due to the inclusion of a wreath and a tripod. Horseback riding was introduced at the thirty-third Olympic Games, held in 648 B.C., and generally took a secondary place to chariot events. Beyond the typical horse race, the keles, other events included javelin throwing from horseback, and acrobatics, such as riders leaping on and off horseback, and riders finishing the race course on foot beside their mount (the anabates, ‘dismounter’). Since the saddle and stirrup were not yet invented, riding was more dangerous in ancient times, and spectators were ever-interested in witnessing a mishap. This design finds a parallel on a famous Attic pot dateable to c. 520-500 B.C. The vase depicts a victorious rider on horseback, preceded by a herald and followed by an attendant who carries two prizes, a wreath in his outstretched hand and a high-handled tripod balanced upon his head (BMC Vases B 144). Numerous tripods have been found at Olympia in the excavations of the stadium banks, and it would appear that they were used as prizes at the early festivals.
Estimate: 50000 CHF

[apollonia]

Profilo di Afrodite su uno statere di Corinto (per il ptofilo della dea su una dramma di Corinto v. post # 14).

Corinthia, Corinth AR Drachm. Circa 4th Century BC. Obverse: Pegasos flying left, Koppa below. Reverse: Head of Aphrodite left, wearing sakkos, pendant earrings and necklace; Retrograde sigma behind, uncertain object in lower left field. References: BCD Corinth -; SNG Copenhagen -; BMC – Extremely Rare. Size: 16mm, 2.40g

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