Last week when I snuck out of the doghouse, I bought three coins: one Roman Republic, one Greek and one Roman Imperial. I showed the RR, now I will show the Greek: TARAS, CALABRIA AR Diobol OBV: Head of Athena in crested helmet left decorated with Skylla REV: Herakles kneeling right, strangling lion Struck at Taras, 380-334 BC 1.2g, 11mm Vlasto 1316 (I think), SNG Cop 975 You have to appreciate the detail on the lion on such a small flan. In Greek mythology, Scylla was a monster that lived on one side of a narrow channel of water, opposite its counterpart Charybdis. The two sides of the strait were within an arrow's range of each other—so close that sailors attempting to avoid Charybdis would pass too close to Scylla and vice versa. There are various Greek myths accounting for Scylla's origins and fate. According to some, she was one of the children of Phorcys and Ceto. Other sources, including Stesichorus, cite her parents as Triton and Lamia. According to John Tzetzes and Servius' commentary on the Aeneid, Scylla was a beautiful naiad who was claimed by Poseidon, but the jealous Amphitrite turned her into a monster by poisoning the water of the spring where Scylla would bathe. A similar story is found in Hyginus, according to whom Scylla was the daughter of the river god Crataeis and was loved by Glaucus, but Glaucus himself was also loved by the sorceress Circe. While Scylla was bathing in the sea, the jealous Circe poured a potion into the sea water which caused Scylla to transform into a monster with four eyes, six long necks equipped with grisly heads, each of which contained three rows of sharp teeth. Her body consisted of twelve tentacle-like legs and a cat's tail while four to six dog-heads ringed her waist. In this form she attacked the ships of passing sailors, seizing one of the crew with each of her heads. In a late Greek myth, recorded in Eustathius' commentary on Homer and John Tzetzes, Heracles encountered Scylla during a journey to Sicily and slew her. Her father, the sea-god Phorcys, then applied flaming torches to her body and restored her to life.
Yeeeehaaaa => that is a classic, great coin!! (good choice) ... yah, I haven't pulled the trigger on this coin "yet" (but it is definitely on my "gonna-get-it" list) awesome Cheers, ya ol' bugger!! :cheers::cheers::cheers: Wow => A-Knob, yourself and I are buying-up coins like they're goin' outta style!! (I love it!!) => keep-up the good work brothers!!
That coin is Phat- for a little guy. There really is an amazing amount of detail on the reverse. I love it. It appears her that by this telling of Hercules slaying the lion- he is strangling it rather than clubbing it. I like one of Steve's coins where it looks as if the club is being thrown at at the lion. A wonderful piece, with a great story and some neat creatures and silver... what more could you want out of an ancient coin.
I nearly pulled the trigger on one of these recently and it was nowhere near as nice as this one. You had a good deal here and the dealer images didn't do it justice. Well done.
That is indeed a small coin with wonderful detail. Well-done. Thanks for the write-up as well. A+ all around!
For sneakin out of the dog house you did well, off the chart details, good info too, = AAA+:thumb::thumb:
