Numismata hellenica: a catalogue of Greek coins; with notes, a map ...

Metal
M
M
M
M
M
M
M
JE
M
M
M
Size
H
Weight
259-4
lo8-2
82-8
3- S4-3
3-
4-
5-4
2*
3-
51
38 2
EUROPEAN GREECE.
Beardless head of Hercules, with lion's scalp to r. ; behind the neck, A. B. Same
legend and similar type, but the staff knotted ; the right shoulder bare ; the
sword tied with ribbons, and held in left hand, which rests on knee ; drapery
twisted round the arm. In field to r. AYT (in mon), below which, 2E ; in field
to I., A.
Beardless laureate head to r. (Apollo ?) ; below, *I. R. AITQAiiN. Naked figure
to I., right foot raised on rock ; left hand and chlamys on right knee ; in right
hand, staff; on left side, sword, as before ; hat suspended behind the shoulders.
Head of Diana to r., bow and quiver appearing behind the neck ; below, *!. Same
androgynous figure seated upon shields to r. looking adv. ; right hand resting on
knotted staff; twisted drapery round the left arm ; the left hand resting on
the sword. In field to r., a trophy ; above it, A.—TMs and the two preceding are
Electrotypes from the B. M.
Note.—
Millingen (R^oueil de M^dailles Grecques, p. 40) supposes the seated figure on these
reverses to have been a female, and to have represented the statue of jEtolia, which was dedicated at
Delphi after the expulsion of the Gauls from Greece, in B. c. 278, when the jEtoIians twice defeated the
Gauls near Thermopylee in their advance towards Delphi, and in their retreat destroyed great num-
bers of them. The figure, however, is not female, but of that androgynous character often given to
Apollo, to Bacchus, and to juvenile heroes. The hat and boots connect it with the Calydouian hunt,
so constantly alluded to in the types of ^tolian coins. As Meleager was, next to Hercules, the
leader in this exploit, for him probably the figure was intended, and he may have afi"orded some
fabulous aid to the ^tolians in the battle, which the figure of Victory, the trophy, and the armour,
upon which the hero is seated, are evidently intended to commemorate. Had they referred to the
Gallic invasion, some Gallic symbol would probably have been seen. The shields, on the contrary,
on which the figure is seated, are not Gallic, which were quadrangular gerrce, but Greek, and
one of those on the tetradrachmon is conspicuously shown to be Macedonian. The only great
advantage gained in the field by the ^tolians over the Macedonians was at Cynoscephalee in b. c. 197)
when they were in alliance with the Romans, and when the ^tolian cavalry contributed greatly to
the success of Flamininus. It is remarkable, that the short sword, decorated with ribbons, in the
hand of the seated figure, resembles the Roman parazonium.
Youthful head, covered with hat to r. IjL. AITiiAiiN.
it, *. In exergue, A, and spear-head to r.
Boar running to r., below
Note.—
Perhaps the head on the obverse is that of Atalante, the boar referring evidently to the
Calydonian chase. The spear-head, as well as, on other coins, the jaw-bone, have a similar allusion.
Another similar, but below the boar, K.
Similar head with ear-ring to r. R. AITii Boar to r. ; above, spear-head to r.
Note.—The ear-ring on the obverse of this coin tends to confirm the supposition of the head being
that of Atalante.
Head of Apollo to r. R. AIxaASlN. Spear-head and jaw-bone of boar ; between
them, KA ; in field to I., grapes.
Another similar, but in field, between spear-head and jaw-bone, mon. 8.
Same type. B. AIxaAilN. Trophy.
Same I. type. H. AITii . . . Tripod ; in field to I. ?
Head of Jupiter to r. B. Spear-head and Head of Pallas to r.
jaw-bone of boar to r.
B. AITii. Hercules standing adv. looking
over left arm, lion's skin.
r., right hand
resting on club ;
Same type. B. AITiiAiiN. Same ; type under his right ann, N, below which, I.
A^oie.— Hercules having partaken in the chase of the Calydonian boar, and having married Dejanira,
daughter of .lEneus, king of Calydon, his head or figure became naturally a jEtolia.
type on the coins of