AG A.A.A. cercasi

[apollonia]

Il 11/12/2016 alle 11:49, apollonia dice:

 

The Sixth Labor – Herakles and the Stymphalian Birds

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (35mm, 25.37 g, 12h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 6 (AD 142/143). [AV]T K T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNINO[C C]ЄB Є[VC], laureate head right / Herakles and the Stymphalian Birds – Herakles standing right, wearing lion's skin over his head and down his shoulders, quiver over his right shoulder, drawing arrow back in bow and pointing it slightly upward; before, three of the Stymphalian birds falling from the sky; behind, club and L ς (date). Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 8479 (same dies); K&G –; Emmett 1543.6 (R5 – rev. of this coin illustrated on p. 74B); Curtis, “The Coinage of Roman Egypt: A Survey” (reprinted from The Numismatist, January-August 1956), Pl. XXVI (this coin’s reverse illustrated); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 157 (this coin). Good VF, dark brown patina with touches of green. Extremely rare, and one of the finest known for the type. The only other example sold since 2000 was the coin in Triton V (2002), lot 1777, which sold again in Triton XI (2008), lot 530. Emmett lists this types as being struck for four of Pius’ regnal years: 4, 5, 6, and 10.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex Kerry K. Wetterstrom Collection (Classical Numismatic Auctions XIII, 4 December 1990), lot 199; William B. Porter Collection; Carl W.A. Carlson Collection; Col. James W. Curtis Collection.

The Stymphalian Birds were man-eating birds that had claws of brass, sharp metallic feathers they could launch at their victims, and highly toxic dung. Driven to the heavily wooded area around Lake Stymphalia by a pack of wolves, they bred quickly and took over the countryside, destroying local crops and fruit trees. They were also favorites of Ares. To complete this Labor, Athena and Hephaestos assisted Herakles by forging crotala, or large bronze clappers, by which the birds could be frightened into flight; then, Herakles shot them down with his arrows, as depicted on the coin type.

[apollonia]

Il 11/12/2016 alle 11:52, apollonia dice:

The Seventh Labor – Herakles and the Cretan Bull

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (34mm, 25.64 g, 11h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 6 (AD 142/143). AVT K • T • AIΛ A∆P • ANTωNINOC ЄVC ЄB, laureate head right / Herakles and the Cretan Bull – Herakles running right, nude, grasping the head of the Cretan bull, also running right, with both hands and jerking its head backward; behind, upright club covered with lion’s skin; before, ς/L (date). Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 8501 (this coin); K&G –; Emmett 1550.6 (R5 – rev. illustrated on p. 74B); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 160 (this coin). Good VF, attractive dark brown surfaces. Extremely rare, and probably the finest known (illustrated in color on the front cover of the January 1991 issue of The Celator [Vol. 5, No. 1]). Only one example in auction since 2000, which was the example we sold in Triton XI (2008), lot 537.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex Kerry K. Wetterstrom Collection (Classical Numismatic Auctions XIII, 4 December 1990), lot 201 (featured on the front cover); Numismatik Lanz 44 (16 May 1988), lot 590; Münzen und Medaillen AG 46 (28 April 1972), lot 206; Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 8501.
 

Compelled to capture the Cretan Bull, which had sired the Minotaur, as his seventh Labor, Herakles sailed to Crete. There, Minos the king of Crete, gave the hero permission to take the bull away, as it had been causing destruction on the island. Herakles strangled the bull with his bare hands, and shipped it back to Athens. Although Eurystheus wished to sacrifice the bull to Hera, the goddess refused the sacrifice because it reflected glory on her sworn enemy. The bull was released and wandered into the town of Marathon, where it became known as the Marathonian Bull.

[apollonia]

Il 11/12/2016 alle 11:54, apollonia dice:

The Eighth Labor – Herakles and the Mares of Diomedes

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (34mm, 22.62 g, 12h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 6 (AD 142/143). [AVT K] T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNIN[OC CЄB ЄVC], laureate head right / Herakles and the Mares of Diomedes – Herakles standing right, nude but for lion’s skin over his left shoulder and billowing out behind him, holding the mane of one of Diomedes’ mares with his left hand and preparing to strike it with his club held with his right hand; a fallen mare behind him to the left; Diomedes laying prostrate to the right before him on the ground; L ς (date) in exergue. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 8505 (same dies); K&G –; Emmett 1553.6 (this regnal year not listed in his chart in error, as the reverse of this coin is illustrated on p. 74B); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 159 (this coin). Good VF, dark brown patina with touches of green and red. Extremely rare, and one of the finest known for the type. Emmett lists this types as being struck for just one of Pius’ regnal years, 10, but as noted above, he should have listed it for RY 6 also. Another variant exists with the scene reversed, with Herakles standing left (Emmett 1552), which is known for years 5 and 6.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex Triton I (2 December 1997), lot 731; Walter Niggeler Collection (Part 2, Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen, 21 October 1966), lot 736 (CNG’s notated copy of this sale lists M. Ratto as the buyer).
 

The four mares of the giant Diomedes, king of the Bistones in Thrace, had a nightmarish taste for human flesh. It was Herakles’ task to steal them, and he set about doing so with a cortege including the Lokrian youth Abderos, a beloved of the hero, who in the midst of the story is eaten by the horses. Herakles, according to some renderings, was so distraught that he fed Diomedes to his own mares in revenge. The Thracian town of Abdera was founded nearby Abderos’ grave.

[apollonia]

Il 11/12/2016 alle 11:57, apollonia dice:

The Ninth Labor – The Golden Girdle of Hippolyte

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (35mm, 23.67 g, 12h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 5 (AD 141/142). [AVT] K T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNINOC ЄVCЄB, laureate head right / Herakles and Hippolyte’s Girdle – Herakles standing right, nude but for lion's skin draped over his left shoulder, holding club with left hand over his left shoulder and with right hand he seizes the “Golden Girdle” from the prostrate Hippolyte on her fallen horse which lies left; to upper right, L Є (date). Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 2616 (this coin); K&G 35.144; Emmett 1540.5 (R4); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 156 (this coin). VF, attractive brown surfaces. Extremely rare, and one of the finest known for the type. Emmett lists this types as being struck for three of Pius’ regnal years: 5, 6, and 10.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection, purchased from Renzo Canavesi, Sagno, 1996. Ex Renzo Canavesi Collection (Sagno); Dr. Piero Beretta Collection (Milan); Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 2616.

At the request of Admete, Eurystheus’ daughter, Herakles as his Ninth Labor went to seize the golden girdle of Hippolyte, a garment that gave power and supremacy to the wearer. The daughter of Otrera and the god Ares, Hippolyte was the queen of the Amazons, an all female race who lived near the slopes of the Caucasus. To carry off this Labor, Herakles organized an expedition, which included the Athenian hero Theseus. Upon the heroes’ arrival, the Amazon women greeted them warmly, while Hippolyte offered the girdle as a gift. Hera, on hearing this, took the form of an Amazon, spreading a rumor that Herakles had come to steal away their queen, and take her back with him to Greece. The female warriors, in protection of their queen, began fighting the heroes. In the melée that followed, Herakles slew Hippolyte, thinking she had betrayed him. Winning the battle, Herakles headed back for Mycenae. On the way, he saved the life of Hesione, daughter of Laomedon, king of Troy. Laomedon, however, refused to reward the hero for his service. In retribution, Herakles slew the king and all his sons, save the youngest, Podarces, who later became known as Priam.

[apollonia]

Il 11/12/2016 alle 14:16, apollonia dice:

 

The Tenth Labor – Herakles and the Cattle of Geryon

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (35mm, 28.84 g, 1h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 4 (AD 140/141). [AV]T K T AIΛ A∆P • ANTωNI[NOC ЄYCЄB], laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Herakles and the Cattle of Geryon – Herakles standing left, holding club and lion's skin with his left arm; two charging bulls to left and Herakles grasping a horn of the closest; below, the dead body of Geryon prostrate to left; L ∆ (date) across field. Köln 1350 (same dies); Dattari (Savio) 2619 (this coin – reverse illustrated on pl. XV); K&G 35.78; Emmett 1542.4 (R5); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 152 (this coin). VF, dark brown surfaces with touches of green and red. Very rare, and superior to the three other examples to appear at auction since 2000.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection, purchased from Renzo Canavesi, Sagno, 1996. Ex Renzo Canavesi Collection (Sagno); John Work Garrett Collection (Part I, Numismatic Fine Arts/Bank Leu, 16 May 1984), lot 800; Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 2619.

For his tenth labor, Herakles was required to travel to Erytheia to capture the Cattle of Geryon. En route, while crossing the Libyan Desert, he became so frustrated at the heat that he shot an arrow at Helios. Admiring the hero’s courage, Helios gave him the golden cup, which Helios used to sail nightly across the Ocean from west to east, and Herakles used it to help him reach Erytheia. Upon arriving there, Herakles was confronted by the two-headed watchdog, Orthros, and the herdsman Eurytion, each of whom he killed with his club. Hearing what was happening, Geryon, armed with three shields, three spears, and wearing three helmets, pursued Herakles to the River Anthemus. Once there, Herakles shot Geryon dead with an arrow he had poisoned with the blood of the Lernaean Hydra. To annoy Herakles as he drove the cattle back to Eurystheus, Hera sent a gadfly to scatter the herd by biting them. After a year’s labor, Herakles recovered the herd, but was further hindered by a flood, also caused by the goddess. Herakles eventually returned to Tiryns, and Eurystheus sacrificed the cattle to Hera.

[apollonia]

Il 11/12/2016 alle 14:21, apollonia dice:

 

The Eleventh Labor – The Apples of the Hesperides

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (35mm, 25.51 g, 12h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 10 (AD 146/147). AVT K T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNЄINOC C ЄB ЄVC, laureate head right / Herakles and the Apples of the Hesperides – Herakles standing right, lion’s skin and club over his left shoulder, holding club with his left hand and reaching with his right hand for the Apples of the Hesperides hanging from branch of tree to right; the serpent Ladon coiled around the tree’s trunk; L ΔЄKA TOV (date) around. Köln 1545; Dattari (Savio) 2604 & 8495-6; K&G 35.354; Emmett 1554.10; Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 158 (this coin). VF, dark brown surfaces with touches of green and red, just a bit of reverse roughness but not obscuring the detail. Rare. Emmett lists this types as being struck for three of Pius’ regnal years: 5, 6, and 10.

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection. Ex Empire Coins 8 (7 December 1987), lot 599.
 

Because he had been assisted in completing some of his earlier tasks, Herakles was compelled to undergo two more labors. The first of these was to steal the Apples of the Hesperides, nymphs who lived in a grove at the far western edge of the world. Herakles tricked the Titan Atlas, whose task it was to hold up the heavens, to retrieve the apples in return for holding up the heavens while he did so. Having accomplished the task, Atlas was reticent to give up his freedom, and told Herakles that he would take back the apples to Mycenae. Once again, Herakles tricked the Titan, requesting that Atlas hold the heavens, while Herakles adjusted his cloak to be more comfortable.

 

[apollonia]

Il 11/12/2016 alle 14:24, apollonia dice:

 

The Twelfth Labor – The Capture of Kerberos

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (35mm, 22.27 g, 12h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 5 (AD 141/142). AVT K T AIΛ A∆P AN[TωNINOC] ЄVCЄB, laureate head right / Herakles Capturing Kerberos – Herakles advancing right, head left, holding club with his left hand over his shoulder, holding rope with his right hand and dragging Kerberos behind him out of the cave portal to Hades; before, L/Є (date). Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 8499 (this coin, obv. rubbing incorrect in DS); K&G –; Emmett 1557.5 (R5); Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 155 (this coin). Good VF, brown surfaces with traces of green. Extremely rare, and one of the finest known for the type. Emmett lists this types as being struck for three of Pius’ regnal years: 5, 6, and 10. Another variant exists with the scene reversed, with Herakles standing left (Emmett 1558.4), which is known only from the Wetterstrom specimen (CNA XIII, lot 211).

From the Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection, purchased from Renzo Canavesi, Sagno, 1996. Ex Renzo Canavesi Collection (Sagno); Dr. Piero Beretta Collection (Milan); Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 8499.
 

For his twelfth and final labor, Herakles was sent to the underworld to capture Kerberos. In order to complete this most difficult task, Herakles was initiated in the Eleusinian Mysteries so that he could learn how to enter and exit the underworld alive, as well as absolve himself of his past crime of killing the Centaurs in his fourth Labor. Finding the entrance to the underworld, he again enlisted the assistance of Athena, while Hermes, the conveyor of souls, guided him along. While there, Herakles was able to free Theseus, who had been imprisoned by Hades for attempting to kidnap Persephone, but could not do the same for Theseus’ accomplice, Pirithous. Herakles sought the permission of Hades and Persephone to take Kerberos. The gods assented on condition that Herakles did not harm the creature in any way. Wrestling Kerberos into submission, he brought it to the upper world through an entrance in the Peloponnese. When he returned with Kerberos to the palace, Eurystheus was so afraid of the fearsome beast that he jumped into a large storage jar to hide (a common theme throughout the labors, always depicting King Eurystheus as a coward). With this, Herakles’ punishment was complete, and he was now freed of his guilt.

 

[apollonia]

Dramma alessandrina di Antonino Pio presentata nella prossima CNG 111  https://www.sixbid.com/browse.html?auction=6002&category=201278&lot=5028978

Particolare interessante del rovescio il serpente di Asclepio attorcigliato al tridente di Poseidone in mano a Serapis.

 

EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (34mm, 23.08 g, 12h). Dated RY 5 (AD 141/142). AVT K T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNINOC [ЄV]CЄB, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Radiate and draped bust of Sarapis-Pantheos right, wearing kalathos and horn of Ammon; before, trident of Poseidon entwined with serpent of Asklepios; L Є (date) across field. Köln 1412 (same dies); Dattari (Savio) 8725 (this coin); K&G 35.163; Emmett 1676.5; Staffieri, Alexandria In Nummis 119 (this coin). Good VF, attractive tan and dark brown surfaces. Very rare. An exceptional Alexandrian type. 

Ex Giovanni Maria Staffieri Collection (Triton XXI, 8 January 2018), lot 120, purchased from Dr. Piero Beretta, Milan, October 1972; Dr. Piero Beretta Collection (Milan); Giovanni Dattari Collection, no. 8725.

Sarapis was a syncretic god, combining Hellenistic Greek and Egyptian religious beliefs. His name is of Egyptian origin and derives from a synthesis of Ausar (Greek, Osiris), the Egyptian god of the Underworld, and Hapi (Greek, Apis), a manifestation of the god Ptah. Under the Ptolemies, Sarapis became the chief tutelary god and the subject of a royally-sponsored cult, whose emphasis on an afterlife made the worship of Sarapis one of the more popular mystery cults. His immense popularity soon extended to his creation as Sarapis-Pantheos, a hybrid deity incorporating other divine elements. In the case of the present specimen from the Staffieri collection, he is depicted with the radiate crown of Helios, his own kalathos, the ram’s horn of Ammon, and the trident of Poseidon entwined with the serpent of Asklepios. In Alexandria, a large temple complex, called the Serapeum, was constructed and remained highly patronized well into the fourth century AD. Shortly after the imperial decree of AD 391, officially declaring pagan temples closed, the Serapeum was besieged, plundered, and destroyed.