Dear friends of ancient mythology! The occasion for this article was this coin from Hadrianopolis. In the course of my research, however, it has slowly developed into a larger overview of the relationship between Eros and Herakles, so that the old title is actually too narrow. Nevertheless, I have decided to keep it. Coin #1: Thrace, Hadrianopolis, pseudo-autonomous, time of Commodus, ca. 181-192. AE 19, 2.92g, 18.92mm, 210°. Obv.: TON KT-I-CTHN Bust of Herakles, bearded, r. Rev.: AΔPIANO-ΠO-ΛEIT-ΩN. Eros standing n.l., holding the club of Herakles, supported by a second Eros, bent right Ref.: Jurukova, Hadrianopolis 711 (V299/R669); not in SNG Copenhagen. rare, F+, green patina The obverse shows the portrait of the adult Herakles, who is considered the founder (ktistes) of Hadrianopolis. The legend here is in the rare Accusativus in the sense of "(We honour) the Ktistes". More interesting, however, is the depiction on the reverse. It shows 2 small Erotes playing with the club of Herakles, for them a huge object. This scene fits seamlessly into a series of pictures in which Eros or several Erotes occupy themselves with attributes of Heracles, play with them or even steal and appropriate them. What's behind it? This typography was developed in Hellenism and the Roman period. But Eros was not the first to appropriate attributes of Herakles. Already in mythological prehistory, there were small creatures that stole from Herakles, for example the Kerkopes. Mythology: (1) The Kerkopes, sons of Theia and Okeanos, were small, ape-like creatures who assisted Zeus against the Titans. They lived as thieves and swindlers. But their mother had warned them, "My little white butts, you must first meet the big black butt!". Once they came across Herakles sleeping under a tree and immediately tried to steal his armour. Herakles, however, caught the thieves and, to punish them, he carried them over his shoulder on a branch from which they hung down headfirst. As he did so, they could see his black and hairy buttocks and made fun of them. Herakles also had to laugh and finally he let them go. This happened at the time when he was a slave to Omphale. (2) At the end of the archaic period satyrs appeared on the scene. There is even an opinion that the first satyr play was about the theft of Herakles' weapons; for this seems to be depicted on a krater of 510/500 BC. In later depictions, the satyrs are not only shown stealing Herkcles' equipment, but also disguising themselves as Herakles in possession of it. The fatigue and exhaustion of Herakles is often emphasised, which is not a consequence of his hard works, but of his gluttony and drunkenness. Art history: In the 5th century BC, Eros is shown with objects that do not belong to him. The most impressive was probably the shield of Alkibiades, which was adorned with an Eros carrying Zeus' bundle of lightning. This was of course meant as a provocation. The lightning bundle of the highest and most powerful god was of course not made for the delicate hands of this youthful god. The fact that an image could embody a logical contradiction was a great discovery at the time (Susan Woodford). This opened up a way for artists to reveal even previously hidden truths. In time, the novelty of it disappeared and such images became commonplace and simply decorative motifs. But in the 5th and 4th centuries they were still fresh and impressive. The sculptor Lysipp was a very innovative artist who was known for seeing old motifs in a new way. Two poems in the Greek Anthology of Hellenistic Epigrams describe a statue of Herakles in which Lysipp is said to have depicted the hero sadly, without his lion skin, club and quiver. These had all been stolen from him by Eros. Lukian writes that in the 4th century B.C. the painter Aetion designed a group of small Erotes playing with Alexander's weapons in his painting "The Marriage of Alexander and Roxane", two of them carrying his spear while two others drag his shield by the handles. This motif was taken up again in the Renaissance, for example by Giovanni Antonio Bazzo, called Sodoma (1477-1549) in his fresco of around 1511/18 in the Villa Farnesina in Rome. Eros steals the weapons of Herakles This theme is further developed in Pompeian wall paintings depicting Herakles and Omphale. The appearance of Omphale, whom Herakles had to serve as a slave, shows that the mightiest hero could be conquered by delicate deities as well as by a woman. Some erotes seem to be carrying the stolen weapons to an altar, and A. Greifenhagen (1965) thinks that they want to consecrate the weapons to Aphrodite, so that the paintings celebrate the triumph of love. A third painting in the Casa del Sirico in Pompeii shows the seated figure of Dionysos above: the power of wine together with the power of love can disarm the hero and thus show us that even Herakles is not armed against the temptations of the flesh. All 3 images show Herakles youthful, beardless, clothed and together with Omphale. But there is a third type of picture in which Herakles is deprived: There Herakles is older, bearded, naked and alone with the little robbers. In the oldest example from the 3rd -1st century BC Herakles is asleep, in the others he has woken up, sometimes trying to grab an Erot. As in the pictures with Omphale, contrasts are played with here: old and young, passive and active, big and small. Eros with the weapons of Herakles Over time, 3 main variants have developed (Susan Woodford): (1) Several small Eros are dragging away or tampering with the armour of Herakles, alone or in the presence of the hero. Our 1st coin belongs to this type! (2) Eros as an infant sleeping on the lion skin of Herakles with the club beside him, also torch! To this type belongs our next coin: Coin #2: Moesia inferior, Nicopolis ad Istrum, Commodus, 177-192. AE 17, 3.89g Obv.: AV M AVPH - KOMODOC Laureate head r. Rev.: NEIKOΠOΛI / ΠPOC-I / CTPON Eros, lying crossed-legged on lion's skin l., resting his head in the l. hand; in front of him the torch. Ref.: a) not in AMNG b) not in Varbanov c) not in Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov (2020): Rev. not listed Obv. e.g. No. 8.10.14.4 probably unpublished extremely rare, VF, dark green patina Pedigree: ex Gorny&Mosch Auction 265, Lot 726 ex coll. Erwin Link (Stuttgart) (3) The childlike Eros standing dressed in lion skin and holding the club, a type that also exists without wings and represents a child-Herakles in a non-mythological form. As an example, I show here the terracotta statuette from the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (MFA): Eros, winged, has disguised himself as Herakles. It dates from the Hellenistic or Imperial period, 1st century BC, - 1st century AD, and was found in Myrina, Turkey, in 1892. This playful representation of Eros refers to a Hellenistic epigram describing a statue of Herakles by Lysipp (see above). Here Eros holds his hands behind his back like the famous Herakles Farnese with the apples of the Hesperides. Of course, images of Eros with the attributes of Herakles can simply be playfulness, but on a deeper level they serve to bring to mind that Eros' all-dominating power is only masked by his small size and tender age. Terence: Omnia vicit amor! Sources: (1) Nonnus, Dionysiaka (2) Lukian Literature: (1) Hristova/Hoeft/Jekov, The Coinage of Nicopolis ad Istrum, 2020 (2) Francis Jarman, Eros in Coinage (2) Susan Woodford, Herakles' Attributes and their appropriation by Eros, The Journal of Hellenistic Studies, Vol. 109, November 1989 (3) Adolf Kaegi, Kurzgefasste griechische Schulgrammatik, 1957 (5) Wikipedia Best regards
Terrific write-up, as always, @Jochen1! Some reverse types I simply have to acquire! Your article also helped me to understand the unusual use of the accusative case on the reverse legend of these bronze issues of Julia Domna: (we honor) Juno. Middle bronze: Sestertius:
