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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Shea19, post: 4771783, member: 90981&quot;]This coin from Lydia illustrates a fun but lesser-known episode involving the Greek hero Heracles.&nbsp; As punishment for a violent outburst and a temper tantrum at the Oracle of Delphi, Heracles was forced to serve as a slave for a year to Omphale, the mythical queen of Lydia.&nbsp;&nbsp; Omphale had a good sense of humor, and enjoyed humiliating Heracles throughout the year.&nbsp; On the reverse of this coin, Omphale is shown with two of Heracles&#039; prize possessions: she is holding his club and wearing the skin of the Nemean lion.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1162218[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Lydia, Maeonia. <i>Pseudo-autonomous issue</i>. AE Hemiassarion (18 mm, 2.92 g), time of Trajan, 98-117 AD. Head of Herakles to left. <i>Rev.</i> [MAIO]NΩN,&nbsp; Omphale standing right, wearing Herakles&#039; lion skin and holding his club.&nbsp; RPC IV.2 online 1325.</p><p><br /></p><p>Omphale is featured often on the coinage of Lydia, in no small part because she famously controlled the great Heracles (who she later married).&nbsp; This myth is a fun one, because it takes Heracles, the ultimate symbol of masculinity, and gives him a very suitable punishment: a reversal of gender roles.&nbsp;&nbsp; According to most versions of the myth, during his year of servitude, Omphale forced Heracles to perform women&#039;s chores and made him wear only women&#039;s clothing every day (which would have made for a GREAT coin reverse).</p><p><br /></p><p>For example, in the marble sculpture below, Omphale is shown holding the club of Hercules (the Roman equivalent of Heracles) and wearing his lion skin headdress.&nbsp; Hercules is wearing a woman&#039;s tunic, holding a bundle of wool, and looking much more dainty and skinny than usual.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1162260[/ATTACH]</p><p>(From the National Archeology Museum of Naples).</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m very happy to have this nice little addition to my collection.&nbsp; <b>Please post your coins of Omphale, coins from Lydia, your favorite Heracles/Hercules, or anything else relevant.</b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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