Herakleia, Silver Didrachm
Dublin Core
Title
Herakleia, Silver Didrachm
Subject
Herakleia, Lucania (Italy). Silver Didrachm, 400-330 BCE.
OBVERSE: Athena in a Corinthian war helmet decorated with crest and Skylla throwing stone. Above helmet worn inscription: “HRAKLHIWN” (Herakleion = "of the Herakleians"). Just behind the curve of the lowest plume is the engraver’s mark "K" .
REVERSE: Herakles standing naked, facing forward. His left arm is leaning on a club. Floating at his left shoulder is a wine jug (oinochoe). Spread across his right arm is his li
OBVERSE: Athena in a Corinthian war helmet decorated with crest and Skylla throwing stone. Above helmet worn inscription: “HRAKLHIWN” (Herakleion = "of the Herakleians"). Just behind the curve of the lowest plume is the engraver’s mark "K" .
REVERSE: Herakles standing naked, facing forward. His left arm is leaning on a club. Floating at his left shoulder is a wine jug (oinochoe). Spread across his right arm is his li
Description
Herakleia was founded as an outpost by an alliance of Thurii and Tarentum. Near the destroyed city of Siris, Herakleia is most notable for the place where king Pyrrhus of Epirus defeated a Roman army in the first major battle of the Pyrrhic war, in 280 BCE.
The coinage of this area reflects its divided roots: Athena from Thurii, a colony from Athens; and the Doric hero Herakles on the REVERSE, references Tarentum, a city founded by Dorians from Sparta.
The Scylla, or water monster, adorning the helmet of Athena may be a pun on the word skyla (war booty) and probably alludes to Athena's role in war and the importance of war booty.
The coinage of this area reflects its divided roots: Athena from Thurii, a colony from Athens; and the Doric hero Herakles on the REVERSE, references Tarentum, a city founded by Dorians from Sparta.
The Scylla, or water monster, adorning the helmet of Athena may be a pun on the word skyla (war booty) and probably alludes to Athena's role in war and the importance of war booty.
Source
Gift of James and Aneta McIntyre, Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Salem, OR. 2006.010.020
Date
400-330 BCE
Rights
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
Format
2.190 cm
7.600 gr
7.600 gr
Language
Greek
Type
Coin
Coverage
This item can be viewed on Hallie Ford Museum of Art's website.
Citation
“Herakleia, Silver Didrachm,” Hallie Ford Museum of Art Exhibits, accessed September 21, 2024, https://library.willamette.edu/hfma/omeka/items/show/72.