Bronzi di Settimio Severo con scene della Gigantomachia

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The Gigantomachy

CILICIA, Seleucia ad Calycadnum. Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. Æ (28mm, 11.64 g, 12h). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Athena standing left, holding shield and spear, about to attack serpent-legged Giant to right. SNG France -; SNG Levante 736 var. (view of bust); SNG Levante Suppl. -; SNG Copenhagen -. Near VF, dark green and brown patina, two scratches before bust.

After Zeus had defeated the Titans in the Titantomachy and apportioned their former relatives to his fellow Olympians, he was compelled to resolve a conflict with the Giants, offspring of Gaia and Cronus. Known as the Gigantomachy, these chthonic half-man, half-serpent creatures attempted to wrestle power from the Olympians by casting them out of Olympus. To accomplish this, the Giants attempted to reach Olympus by heaping up one mountain range on top of the other. From above, Zeus and the other Olympians defended themselves by hurling their weapons. In the end, however, it was the assistance of Hercules, that won the day.

CNG 239, Lot: 320. Estimate $100. Sold for $230. 

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CILICIA, Seleucia ad Calycadnum. Septimius Severus. 193-211 AD. Æ 31mm (18.44 gm). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Athena standing right, thrusting spear at serpent-legged giant kneeling before. SNG Levante 736 (this coin); SNG France -; SNG von Aulock -. Nice VF, dark brown, almost black, patina, light roughness. ($200)

Sale: CNG 66, 19 May 2004, Lot: 1165. Estimate $200. Sold For $475. 

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Bello

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The Gigantomachy

CILICIA, Seleucia ad Calycadnum. Septimius Severus, with Julia Domna. AD 193-211. Æ (30mm, 16.38 g, 7h). Confronted busts of Septimius Severus right, laureate and draped, and Julia Domna left, draped / Athena in facing quadriga, holding shield, about to hurl spear at anguipede giant to lower right, himself about to hurl a stone; to lower left, a second fallen giant, neck pierced by spear. SNG France -; SNG Levante Supp. 190 (same rev. die). Good VF, brown patina, minor roughness. A remarkable scene of the Gigantomachy. Rare. Better than the Levante plate coin.

From Group CEM.

The reverse of this coin recalls the second major conflict of Zeus’ rise to power. After he had defeated the Titans in the Titantomachy and apportioned their former relatives to his fellow Olympians, he was compelled to resolve a conflict with the Giants, offspring of Gaia and Cronus. Known as the Gigantomachy, these chthonic half-man, half-serpent creatures attempted to wrestle power from the Olympians by casting them out of Olympus. To accomplish this, the Giants attempted to reach Olympus by heaping up one mountain range on top of the other. From above, Zeus and the other Olympians defended themselves by hurling their weapons. In the end, however, it was the assistance of Hercules, that won the day. With the final defeat of the Giants, the rule of Zeus was no longer challenged.

 

CNG 88, Lot: 990. Estimate $300. Sold for $3250. 

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Second and Finest Known

PISIDIA, Lysinia. Septimius Severus. AD 193-211. Æ 36mm (25.17 g, 6h). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Zeus enthroned left, holding phiale and scepter, supported by two anguipede males, each holding a cornucopia. Von Aulock, Pisidiens -; SNG France -; Boston MFA Acc. No. 1994.274 (same dies). Good VF, black-green patina with orange overtones in the devices, small spots of green deposits on reverse. Extremely rare, only the second one known, and nicer than the Boston specimen.

Il commento sul rovescio è identico a quello del bronzo precedente.

Sale: CNG 78, Wednesday, 14 May 2008, Lot: 1362. Estimate $5000. Sold For $7000. 

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