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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;zumbly, post: 2881343, member: 57495&quot;]I tend to be all over the place with my coin interests, but I always keep a look-out for those that depict Greek myths, which I&#039;ve loved since I was a boy.&nbsp; This recent pickup, a Roman Provincial from Tarsus in Cilicia, is one of those, showing on its reverse the epic throwdown between Herakles and Antaios.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Antaios was the half-giant son of Poseidon, god of the Seas, and Gaia, primordial goddess of the Earth.&nbsp; He forced into a wrestling match those who passed through his lands near Tingis (modern day Tangier), and as he was invincible as long as his feet were in contact with the earth, Antaios defeated all whom he fought, killing them and using their skulls to build a temple to his father, Poseidon.&nbsp; When Herakles travelled through North Africa en route to the Garden of the Hesperides, he bested Antaios by lifting him off the ground to render him momentarily vulnerable, after which he proceeded to crush his ribs, forcing the points into the helpless giant&#039;s liver and killing him.&nbsp; Brutal <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie100" alt=":wideyed:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]690698[/ATTACH] </p><p><b>CARACALLA</b></p><p>AE32. 17.91g, 32.3mm. CILICIA, Tarsus, circa AD 198-217. SNG France 1520. O: AVT KAI M AVP CЄVHPOC ANTΩNЄINOC CЄB, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right; Π – Π in fields. R: ANTΩNIANHC CЄV MHTP / TAPCOV / A M K Γ Β, Herakles left, lifting Antaios off the ground; club draped with lion skin to left.</p><p><br /></p><p>As a postscript to this myth, Plutarch tells of the time when the renegade Roman general Quintus Sertorius, having fled from Sulla&#039;s forces in Spain to North Africa, arrived at Tingis and was shown a great mound which he was told was the tomb of Antaios.&nbsp; Disbelieving of the local legends, Sertorius had the mound dug and was subequently left gobsmacked when the grave below revealed a skeleton 60 cubits (about 90 feet) in length.&nbsp; He quickly had the tomb closed again after offering the appropriate sacrifices.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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