Lydia, Maeonia. Pseudo-autonomous. AE. 5.64 g. 22.10 mm.
Obv: Head of Heracles, bearded, left.
Rev: ΜΑΙΟΝΩΝ. Nude Omphale advancing, right, wearing lion skin, carrying club over shoulder.
Ref: RPC 2428a; Hochard 1303; BMC 17-18.
Very Fine.

Omphale is the legendary queen of Lydia. One day, Queen Omphale bought Heracles as slave and started giving him some tasks. Her first task to Heracles was to rescue her country from bandits. Heracles easily coped with this task, the queen began to fall in love with the hero. Heracles had the same feelings to the queen. Throughout the slavery of Heracles, the queen continued to assign a number of duties to him. After a while, Omphale forced Heracles to dress in women's clothing. Omphale took the lion skin of Heracles and placed it on her back and took his stick in her hand.
As a reference to this scene, on the reverse of the coin we see Omphale wearing the lion skin of Heracles and holding his stick. The presence of Heracles on the face of the coin is a symbol of the legendary love between Heracles and Omphale.