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<p>[QUOTE="Sulla80, post: 6709884, member: 99456"][ATTACH=full]1270610[/ATTACH]</p><p><font size="3"><a href="https://www.pompeiiinpictures.com/pompeiiinpictures/R7/7%2016%2010.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.pompeiiinpictures.com/pompeiiinpictures/R7/7%2016%2010.htm" rel="nofollow">A fresco found in Pompeii on 20-Feb-1851</a> in the "House of the Prince of Montenegro" in the <i>oecus </i>on west side of atrium, adjoining the<i> tablinum</i>. A drunken Hercules with Omphale and cupids who are stealing his club. Cut from the wall and taken to Naples Archaeological Museum. Image source: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Affresco_romano_eracle_ebbro_e_onfale.JPG" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Affresco_romano_eracle_ebbro_e_onfale.JPG" rel="nofollow">Wikimedia Commons</a>.</font></p><p><br /></p><p>I recently picked up an AE coin of Lydia with an image of Herakles on the obverse and a lion on the reverse. Herakles has an interesting connection to Lydia. According to Greek myth, Hermes sold Herakles into slavery to the Queen of Lydia, Omphale. This was a sort of penance urged by the ORACLE at Delphi for the killing of Iphitus. It was also held that Heracles was both slave and lover to Omphale and thus the rulers of Lydia were descended from Herakles.</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="4">“…Hermes sold Hercules, and he was bought by Omphale, daughter of Iardanes, queen of Lydia, to whom at his death her husband Tmolus had bequeathed the government. Eurytus did not accept the compensation when it was presented to him, but Hercules served Omphale as a slave, and in the course of his servitude he seized and bound the Cercopes at Ephesus; and as for Syleus in Aulis, who compelled passing strangers to dig, Hercules killed him with his daughter Xenodoce, after burning the vines with the roots.”</font></p><p><font size="4">- Apollodrus, <a href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D2%3Achapter%3D6%3Asection%3D3" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D2%3Achapter%3D6%3Asection%3D3" rel="nofollow">Library 2.6.3</a></font></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1270598[/ATTACH]</p><p><b>Lydia, Akrasus,</b> AE 13, 1.66 g, Pseudo-autonomous issue, c. 2nd-3rd century AD, near the time of Septimius Severus' reign</p><p><b>Obv:</b> Bearded head of Herakles right wearing lion skin around neck</p><p><b>Rev:</b> AKPAC-IΩ-TΩN, lion standing right</p><p><b>Ref: </b>SNG Cop 3, BMC 10.8</p><p><b>Notes:</b> for more on this coin, see: <a href="https://www.sullacoins.com/post/heracles-slave-to-omphale" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.sullacoins.com/post/heracles-slave-to-omphale" rel="nofollow">Herakles, Slave to Omphale</a>, for more on pseudo-autonomous coins, see <a href="https://www.sullacoins.com/post/the-votive-deposit-in-field-49" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.sullacoins.com/post/the-votive-deposit-in-field-49" rel="nofollow">The Votive Deposit in Field 49</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>This appears to be a very rare coin and it is impressively well engraved, struck, and well preserved. I have found 4 other examples of this coin including the one listed in <a href="https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/lydia/acrasus/i.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/lydia/acrasus/i.html" rel="nofollow">wildwinds</a> which is from the <a href="https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b85166364" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b85166364" rel="nofollow">Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)</a> (same dies as my coin). This coin is by far the best of type.</p><p><br /></p><p>Similar pseudo-autonomous coins were minted by or for other cities of Lydia:</p><p><a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=herakles+lion+lydia+apollonis+pseudo" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=herakles+lion+lydia+apollonis+pseudo" rel="nofollow">Apollonis</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=herakles+lion+lydia+attalea" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=herakles+lion+lydia+attalea" rel="nofollow">Attalea</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+bageis" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+bageis" rel="nofollow">Bagis</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+gordus" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+gordus" rel="nofollow">Gordus-Julia</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=550994" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=550994" rel="nofollow">Hyrcanis</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+magnesia" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+magnesia" rel="nofollow">Magnesia ad Sipylum</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5867300" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5867300" rel="nofollow">Saitta</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6396667" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6396667" rel="nofollow">Sardis</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+silandos" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+silandos" rel="nofollow">Silandos</a>, <a href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5867316" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5867316" rel="nofollow">Thyatira</a></p><p><br /></p><p>Ovid takes the story of Omphale & Herakles a step further, enjoying the idea of big, strong Heracles as subservient to the barbarian Queen, with Omphale dressing Herakles in her clothes.</p><p><br /></p><p><font size="4">“While the attendants were making ready the viands and the wine for the wassail, she arrayed Alcides [another name for Hercules] in her own garb. She gave him gauzy tunics in Gaetulian purple dipped; she gave him the dainty girdle, which but now had girt her waist. For his belly the girdle was too small; he undid the claps of the tunics to thrust out his big hands.”</font></p><p><font size="4">-Ovid, <a href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidFasti2.html" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidFasti2.html" rel="nofollow">Fasti, 303</a></font></p><p><br /></p><p>Artists have had fun with this image through centuries. This opening image is a fresco from 1st century Pompeii and many other paintings that can be found with an internet search of "Herakles and Omphale painting".</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Share your coins of Herakles or Hercules, pseudo-autonomous coins of Lydia, or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.</b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Sulla80, post: 6709884, member: 99456"][ATTACH=full]1270610[/ATTACH] [SIZE=3][URL='https://www.pompeiiinpictures.com/pompeiiinpictures/R7/7%2016%2010.htm']A fresco found in Pompeii on 20-Feb-1851[/URL] in the "House of the Prince of Montenegro" in the [I]oecus [/I]on west side of atrium, adjoining the[I] tablinum[/I]. A drunken Hercules with Omphale and cupids who are stealing his club. Cut from the wall and taken to Naples Archaeological Museum. Image source: [URL='https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Affresco_romano_eracle_ebbro_e_onfale.JPG']Wikimedia Commons[/URL].[/SIZE] I recently picked up an AE coin of Lydia with an image of Herakles on the obverse and a lion on the reverse. Herakles has an interesting connection to Lydia. According to Greek myth, Hermes sold Herakles into slavery to the Queen of Lydia, Omphale. This was a sort of penance urged by the ORACLE at Delphi for the killing of Iphitus. It was also held that Heracles was both slave and lover to Omphale and thus the rulers of Lydia were descended from Herakles. [SIZE=4]“…Hermes sold Hercules, and he was bought by Omphale, daughter of Iardanes, queen of Lydia, to whom at his death her husband Tmolus had bequeathed the government. Eurytus did not accept the compensation when it was presented to him, but Hercules served Omphale as a slave, and in the course of his servitude he seized and bound the Cercopes at Ephesus; and as for Syleus in Aulis, who compelled passing strangers to dig, Hercules killed him with his daughter Xenodoce, after burning the vines with the roots.” - Apollodrus, [URL='http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022%3Atext%3DLibrary%3Abook%3D2%3Achapter%3D6%3Asection%3D3']Library 2.6.3[/URL][/SIZE] [ATTACH=full]1270598[/ATTACH] [B]Lydia, Akrasus,[/B] AE 13, 1.66 g, Pseudo-autonomous issue, c. 2nd-3rd century AD, near the time of Septimius Severus' reign [B]Obv:[/B] Bearded head of Herakles right wearing lion skin around neck [B]Rev:[/B] AKPAC-IΩ-TΩN, lion standing right [B]Ref: [/B]SNG Cop 3, BMC 10.8 [B]Notes:[/B] for more on this coin, see: [URL='https://www.sullacoins.com/post/heracles-slave-to-omphale']Herakles, Slave to Omphale[/URL], for more on pseudo-autonomous coins, see [URL='https://www.sullacoins.com/post/the-votive-deposit-in-field-49']The Votive Deposit in Field 49[/URL]. This appears to be a very rare coin and it is impressively well engraved, struck, and well preserved. I have found 4 other examples of this coin including the one listed in [URL='https://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/lydia/acrasus/i.html']wildwinds[/URL] which is from the [URL='https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b85166364']Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)[/URL] (same dies as my coin). This coin is by far the best of type. Similar pseudo-autonomous coins were minted by or for other cities of Lydia: [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=herakles+lion+lydia+apollonis+pseudo']Apollonis[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=herakles+lion+lydia+attalea']Attalea[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+bageis']Bagis[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+gordus']Gordus-Julia[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=550994']Hyrcanis[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+magnesia']Magnesia ad Sipylum[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5867300']Saitta[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=6396667']Sardis[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?term=hercules+lion+lydia+silandos']Silandos[/URL], [URL='https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=5867316']Thyatira[/URL] Ovid takes the story of Omphale & Herakles a step further, enjoying the idea of big, strong Heracles as subservient to the barbarian Queen, with Omphale dressing Herakles in her clothes. [SIZE=4]“While the attendants were making ready the viands and the wine for the wassail, she arrayed Alcides [another name for Hercules] in her own garb. She gave him gauzy tunics in Gaetulian purple dipped; she gave him the dainty girdle, which but now had girt her waist. For his belly the girdle was too small; he undid the claps of the tunics to thrust out his big hands.” -Ovid, [URL='https://www.theoi.com/Text/OvidFasti2.html']Fasti, 303[/URL][/SIZE] Artists have had fun with this image through centuries. This opening image is a fresco from 1st century Pompeii and many other paintings that can be found with an internet search of "Herakles and Omphale painting". [B]Share your coins of Herakles or Hercules, pseudo-autonomous coins of Lydia, or anything else you find interesting or entertaining.[/B][/QUOTE]
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