Python was a serpent who lived at Delphi, where he guarded the center of the earth, represented by a stone, the omphalos or navel. There are various versions of Python's death at the hands of Apollo. In Hyginus' version of the myth, when Zeus lay with the goddess Leto and she became pregnant with Artemis and Apollo, Hera was jealous and sent Python to pursue Leto wherever she went, to prevent her from giving birth to the twin gods. Thus when Apollo was grown he wanted to avenge his mother's tormentor and pursued Python, chasing him to the oracle at Delphi, where he slew the serpent with arrows. Upon hearing of Apollo's sacrilege, Zeus ordered Apollo to purify himself by instituting the Pythian Games, over which Apollo presided as penance for his act. Apollo preparing to slay Python is the subject of the reverse design on this coin, a Pentassarion from Marcianopolis issued by Caracalla: Caracalla, with Julia Domna, AD 198-217. Roman provincial Æ Pentassarion, 10. 66 g, 27 mm, 1 h. Moesia Inferior, Marcianopolis, AD 215 under Quintillianus, legatus consularis. Obv: ΑΝΤΩΝΙΝΟC ΑVΓΟVCΤΟC ΙΟV-ΛΙΑ ΔΟΜΝΑ, laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Caracalla and draped bust of Julia Domna facing one another. Rev: VΠΑ ΚVΝΤΙΛΙΑΝΟV ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ, Apollo standing facing, head right, raising hand over head and holding bow; to left, Є (mark of value) above covered quiver; serpent-entwined stump to right. Refs: AMNG I 660 ff; Moushmov 471; H&J, Marcianopolis 6.19.7.1; Varbanov 1001; Mionnet --; BMC --; Sear --; Wiczay --. Numismatic notes: Obverse and reverse die match to CNG e-auction 373, lot 253, April 20, 2016 and also to the Wildwinds specimen, which happened to be sold by our very own @Ken Dorney September 03, 2006. A very similar scene is the subject of a 17th century chalk drawing: Charles de la Fosse PARIS 1636 - 1716 APOLLO AND THE PYTHON Black, red and white chalk on light brown/buff paper; bears numbering in pen and brown ink, verso: 1277 214 by 169 mm But the scene has been the subject of numerous works of art over the centuries. A famous sculptural rendition is "Apollo Victorious over Python" by Pietro Francavilla (1548-1615), now in the Walters Art Museum, which depicts the dead serpent at Apollo's feet: Post anything you feel is relevant!
What a great "story coin"! Apollo the lizard slayer: MOESIA INFERIOR, Nikopolis ad Istrum. Caracalla Ovinius Tertullus, legatus consularis. AE 28, 13.05 gm Obv: AV K M AVP ANTΩNINOC; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: VΠA OOVI TEPTOVΛΛOV ΝΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΤΩΝ ΠΡΟC Ι; Apollo Sauroktonos standing right, holding laurel branch and leaning hand upon a tree stump with a lizard climbing up it. Ref: H&J 8.18.7.1; Varbanov -. Apollo gloriously riding a griffin: TROAS, Alexandria. Trebonianus Gallus CE 251-253 AE 21 mm, 4.76 gm Obv: IMP VIB TREB GALVS AV; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: COL AV / TROA; Apollo, head right and holding kithara, seated facing on griffin springing right, head left Ref: RPC IX 407; Bellinger A403 aka "Subway Apollo"
@TIF I've always admired that Apollo Sauroktonos coin of yours. The Apollo Sauroktonos was a famous statue by Praxiteles. There is only one ancient copy of an Apollo killing reptile statue that survives the millennia -- in the Cleveland Museum.
COOL coin! And great write up!!! LOL, EVERY time you mentioned PYTHON, I just could NOT get this out of my head (yeah, the movie/film was named after me: LOL, and you KNOW that I am going to keep pulling you out of the Empire and into the REPUBLIC! Roman Republic Anon AR Heavy Denarius - Didrachm 275-270 BCE ROMANO Apollo-Galloping Horse Obv-Rev Sear23
Well, you know it was issued in 215 A.D. I wonder it there's any account of when the games were held or who the magistrate was at the time.
