Sale: CNG 75, Lot: 819. Closing Date: Wednesday, 23 May 2007.  	Estimate $7500 Sold For $7500
LYDIA, Thyateira. Severus Alexander. AD 222-235. Æ Medallion (48mm, 48.55 g, 6h). Mar. Pollianus, strategus. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right / Young Hercules standing facing, head right, holding club set on ground and deceased lion. Triton VIII, lot 768 = Lanz 177, lot 1026 (same dies). Good VF, dark green patina, minor smoothing in fields. Extremely rare, only the second specimen known.

While the popular story is that Hercules received his signature lion skin as a result of his First Labor, the slaying of the Nemean Lion, the second-century BC encyclopediast Apollodorus (Bibl. 2.4.9) relates that the hero received it as a result of his youthful encounter with the Lion of Cithaeron. Like that of Nemea, Hercules was commanded by the king of Thespiae to slay a lion which had been terrorizing the local countryside. Having succeeded, he received the skin as part of his reward, which he subsequently wore, along with the club, as his attributes.

From the CNG Mail Bid Sale 75.
By permission of CNG, www.cngcoins.com.

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