Asia Minor Coins - Photo Gallery

Ancient Greek and Roman coins from Asia Minor


Coin ID #11359

Alexandreia (AD 222-235) AE 24 - Severus Alexander

Severus Alexander, 222-235 AD. AE24 (7.14g, 12h). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Hercules wrestling the giant Antaeus, whom he is lifting off the ground. Fine, rough brown and green patina. Rare type which Bellinger only recorded for Septimius Severus and a mature Caracalla.

A giant of Libya and the son of Poseidon and Gaia (the earth goddess), Antaeus would challenge travelers to wrestling matches, easily killing his opponents and collecting their bones to construct a temple to his father. It was en route to the Garden of Hesperides to complete his eleventh labor that Hercules met Antaeus. A wrestling match ensued, but Hercules was unable to finish his opponent as Antaeus regained his strength each time the hero threw him to the ground. Realizing Antaeus’ strength waned as the he left the earth (i.e., the protective realm of his mother), Hercules lifted the giant aloft while crushing him to death.

File information
Filename:3130166.jpg
City/Mint name:Alexandreia
Keywords:roman / bronze
References:??? Bellinger -; BMC -; SNG Copenhagen -; SNG München -; Voegtli -
Valuation:CNG Elec. Auc. 313 (10/2013), lot 166 ($150 + comm)
Photo courtesy of:Classical Numismatic Group - www.cngcoins.com
Filesize:199 KiB
Date added:Jun 14, 2014
Dimensions:800 x 384 pixels
Displayed:316 times
URL:http://www.asiaminorcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=11359
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