Dolphin ride

Dolphins rescuing babies had surely been confirmed. I remember when I used to work in the Press, nearly 20 years ago, I picked up a press release from AFP (Agence France Presse) informing by date, time , hour and location, that after a ship had sunk, all people on the beach witnessed a dolphin carrying a baby who was drowning after the accident. Then it reached the shore and laid the baby softly, safe on the sand. The dolphin returned promptly to the sea. The baby was rushed to hospital. We discussed this event together among colleagues, by that time. I can never forget this "historical event" in my life. The dolphin was not even trained or tamed. Meanwhile, here's a coin from my old folders. It was struck in Anchialus under Maximinus I Thrax. Reverse shows 2 dolphins surrounding a fish. Condition is a little poor.

 

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Here's a dynamic dolphin duo daring to deliver the distressed:

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(Scythia. Olbia. 437-410 BC)

 

First two of these are from Carteia, 1st-2nd century BC. third one is also from Carteia from the time of Augustus. Was a punic colony in Ancient Spain, but later became a roman colony.



This one is from Gades , present day Cadiz Spain.
Gades,
1st century BC
Obv: Head of young Herakles left,
wearing lionskin
Rev: Punic letters, dolphin
swimming left.
AE Quadrans 2.05 gm. 16 mm.
Burgos (2008) 1352 var.

 

Two of my favorite coins show dolphin riders:

Roman Republic, L Lucretius Trio, AR Denarius, 76 BCE. Obv. Laureate head of Neptune right, XXXIII above and trident behind/ Rev. Cupid (or Infant Genius) on dolphin right; L LVCRETIVS TRIO. Crawford 390/2, Sydenham 784, RSC I Lucretia, Sear RCV I 322 (ill.), Harlan, RRM I Ch. 16 at pp. 98-103, BMCRR Rome 3247. 19 mm., 3.9 g.



Tarentum, Calabria. AR Nomos (didrachm), ca. 302-280 BCE. Magistrates Sa.., Arethon and Cas-. Obv. Youth on horseback right, crowning horse with wreath; magistrates' names: ΣA to left and AΡE/ΘΩN in two lines below/ Rev. TAΡAΣ, Phalanthos astride dolphin left, holding tripod, CAΣ below. Vlasto 666 [O.E. Ravel, Descriptive Catalogue of the Collection of Tarentine Coins formed by M.P. Vlasto (London, 1947, reprinted)]; HN Italy 957 [N.K. Rutter, ed., Historia Numorum Italy (London, 2001)]; SNG ANS 1046 [Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum, USA, The Collection of the American Numismatic Society, Part 1: Etruria - Calabria (New York 1969)]. 23 mm., 7.86 g.

 

Dolphin lore is interesting. I've read that dolphin/human rescues often result in a dramatic ending for the dolphin, including sympathy-dying the moment they reach shore (if the human dies), or sometimes even turning the colors of the rainbow before dying dramatically. Here is a coin from Iasos in Caria that portrays one such legend: that of a young man named Hermias:



Caria, Iasos Æ 16mm
250-190 BC
ΜΕΝΕΔΗΜΟΣ (Menedemos), Magistrate
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right.
Reverse: IA / ΜΕΝΕΔΗΜΟΣ , Hermias swimming with dolphin right.
References: SNG Copenhagen 410; Klein 521; BMC 125,6ff (Different name).
Size: 16mm
Weight: 3.75g

There is a myth of a youth riding on a dolphin, which has been assigned to Iasos in Caria, a country south of the river Meander.

Hermias of Iasos used to plunge into the sea each day after training at the gymnasium. Waiting faithfully was a tame dolphin who gave the boy rides far out into the sea and back. One day Hermias drowned. The dolphin rushed him back to shore, then expired from sorrow. Their friendship was memorialized in a statue of the two, and coins from Iasos show Hermias swimming with his arms over the dolphin's back.

Reference: Delphinia, Greek Myths and Legends.

 

By the way, Dick van Dyke fell asleep on his surfboard and was saved by porpoises several years ago, or so he claims. Article

 

Didrachms of Tarentum have a huge number of variations. More than one signature indicates the joint responsibility of artists working in the same mint.

One more didrachm, signature Σ A on the obverse, from an artist specialized in the portrayal of horses, and ΦI (Philistion) on the reverse.

Calabria, Tarentum, ca. 332-302 BC
20 mm, 7.687 g
Vlasto 589; HN Italy 934; BMC Greek (Italy) 228, p.190;

Ob.: Nude warrior on horseback facing right, holding round shield and two lances in left hand and thrusting spear downward in right; signature ΣA under horse
Rev.: Taras riding on a dolphin facing left, holding distaff in left hand, dolphin in extended right hand; ivy-like leaf to right; TAP(AΣ) to the outer right; below curling crests of waves, signed ΦI (Philistion)

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