Obolos 20

TROAS. Alexandria Troas. Caracalla, 198-217. Diassarion (Bronze, 24.5 mm, 6.96 g, 6 h). M AV ANTONINVS PIV Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla to right. Rev. COL AVG / TROA Drunken Herakles advancing right, leaning on Pan's shoulder standing in front of him facing left, and being supported by two satyrs behind him. Bellinger a299. SNG Copenhagen -. Dark brown patina. Light porosity, otherwise, very fine.

From the Vineyard Collection, ex Gorny & Mosch 126, 14 October 2003, 1816.

Depictions of a drunken Herakles are very rare on Greek coinage - he is commonly shown as a rather 'shaky' drunk in bronze or terracotta statuettes but only as a single figure - so the group scene here is quite remarkable. The fact that on this coin, and others of the later 2nd and 3rd centuries from Alexandria Troas he is accompanied by two satyrs and by Pan strongly suggests that the scene reflects a literary tradition specifically connected to the city. This is even more probable because this representation seems to appear no where else on Greek coinage. For another, see lot 316 above.