My first Greek coin, featuring a Sphynx reverse, and an obverse portrait of Sibyle. The Sibyles were prophetesses, or Oracles in ancient Greece. There appears to have been two Sibyles dating back to 11 BCE, one at Delphi and the other, called Herophile. But as more female Oracles were "discovered", by 4BCE there were three more and by 1BCE there were at least ten. Only two of these are believed to be historical, Herophile of Erythrae, thought to have lived there about 8 century BCE, and Phyto of Samos who lived a little later. The first known Greek writer to mention a sibyl is (based on the testimony of Plutarch) Herclitus around 500 BCE. His words were apparently, "The Sibyl, with frenzied mouth uttering things not to be laughed at, unadorned and unperfumed, yet reaches to a thousand years with her voice by aid of the god". Troas, Gergis. Circa 4th-3rd Century BC. AE12mm, 1.28 g. Head of Sibyl Herophile right, three-quarters facing. Reverse/ ΓEΡ, Sphinx sitting right. SNG von Aulock 1515; SNG Ashmolean 1147; SNG Cop 338.
Moneyer issues of Imperatorial Rome. T. Carisius. 46 BC. AR Denarius (20mm, 3.83 g, 3h). Rome mint. Head of Sibyl Herophile right, hair elaborately decorated with jewels and enclosed in a sling and tied with bands / Sphinx seated right. Crawford 464/1; CRI 69; Sydenham 983; Carisia 10. Good VF, toned, areas of flat strike. From the Demetrios Armounta Collection. Ex Baldwin’s 57 (23 September 2008), lot 59.
