CILICIA, Tarsus. Caracalla. Caesar, AD 196-198. Æ (35mm, 19.99 g, 12h).

Electronic Auction 499
Lot: 356. Estimated: $ 150

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Sold For $ 160. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Go to Live

CILICIA, Tarsus. Caracalla. Caesar, AD 196-198. Æ (35mm, 19.99 g, 12h). Laureate head left / Hercules standing left, wrestling the giant Antaeus, whom he is lifting off the ground; to left, club draped with lion skin. SNG BN 1521 var. (position of Antaeus; same obv. die); SNG Levante 1057 var. (bust type). Green and brown patina, corrosion on obverse. Good Fine. Very rare.

Ex Leu Web Auction 146 (12 December 2020), lot 1044.

A giant of Libya and the son of Poseidon and Gaia (the earth goddess), Antaeus would challenge travelers to wrestling matches, easily killing his opponents and collecting their bones to construct a temple to his father. It was en route to the Garden of Hesperides to complete his eleventh labor that Hercules met Antaeus. A wrestling match ensued, but Hercules was unable to finish his opponent as Antaeus regained his strength each time the hero threw him to the ground. Realizing Antaeus' strength waned as the he left the earth (i.e., the protective realm of his mother), Hercules lifted the giant aloft while crushing him to death.

Closing Date and Time: 1 September 2021 at 11:58:20 ET.

All winning bids are subject to an 18% buyer’s fee.