★ Infant Herakles Strangling a Snake ★

Greek Coins
ISLANDS OFF THE IONIAN EDGE, Samos. Symmachy coin, circa 405/4 BC. Tridrachm.

Obv: Mask of Priestly Lion facing; below, Σ - Α; all within shallow circular indentation.

Rev: Σ - Υ - Ν Infant Herakles (Herakliskos, nude, bald head over left shoulder, kneeling towards ground, strangling a snake with each hand.

NOMOS, Auction 18 Lot 164 Hammer: 54000 CHF 05.05.2019, Barron 1b (this coin). BMC 129. Jameson 1528 (this coin). Kraay & Hirmer 616.

Extremely rare. Attractively toned and well centred. Extremely fine.

This rare coin was struck to celebrate an alliance (syn = synmachikon = a coin of allies) between cities in western Asia Minor (Byzantion, Ephesos, Iasos, Knidos, Kyzikos, Lampsakos, Rhodes and Samos), which all used the common type of infant Herakles/snakes on obv with rev bearing normal city badge.

It was thought that this alliance came about in 394 after the defeat of the Spartan fleet, but Karweise, Lysander as Herakliskos Drakonopnigon ('Herakles the snake-strangler'), NC 1980, has made a good case for it having taken place 10 years earlier, when the cities threw off Athenian domination with the help of the Spartan Lysander.

In many ways this seems a better choice, but hoard evidence is inconclusive.
Weight 11,10 gr - Diameter 23 mm.