Caria. Alabanda. 165-160 BC. AR Tetradrachm (16.61g, 12h). SNG von Aulock -; Tradart 3.38 (this coin). Lightly toned. Perfectly centered and struck. Lovely late Hellenistic style. One of the finest known. Choice extremely fine. From the Sadijas collection; Tkalec & Rauch 1989 (25 April) lot 131; Gitta Kastner 1973 (4) lot 137

"Oh! my little Pegasos, my noble aerial steed, may your wings soon bear me straight to Zeus" (Aristophanes, Peace, 50). Pegasos is a mythical winged divine horse, and one of the most recognized creatures in Greek mythology. Usually depicted as pure white, Pegasos is the offspring of the Olympian god Poseidon. He was foaled by the Gorgon Medusa upon her death, when the hero Perseus decapitated her. Caught by the Greek hero Bellerophon, near the fountain Peirene, with the help of Athena and Poseidon, Pegasos allowed Bellerophon to ride him in order to defeat the monstrous Chimera, which led to many other exploits. Bellerophon later fell from the winged horse's back while trying to reach Mount Olympus. Afterwards, Zeus transformed Pegasos into the eponymous constellation.