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EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (33mm, 23.78 g, 12h). Labors of Herakles series. Dated RY 10 (AD 146/7). [AYT K] T AIΛ A∆P ANTωNI[NOC CЄB ЄVC], laureate head right / Herakles and the Cattle of Geryon – Herakles standing left, holding club and lion's skin with his left arm; two charging bulls to left and Herakles grasping a horn of the closest; below, the dead body of Geryon prostrate to left; L ΔЄ KATOV (date) around. Köln 1350; Dattari (Savio) 2621 = RPC IV.1 994.15 (this coin); K&G 35.341; Emmett 1542.4 (R5). Dark brown surfaces, light porosity, minor smoothing. Good Fine.
From the Dr. Thomas E. Beniak Collection, purchased from Classical Numismatic Group, November 2016. Ex Naville Numismatics 26 (23 October 2016), lot 189; Giovanni Dattari (†1923) Collection.
For his tenth labor, Herakles was required to travel to Erytheia to capture the Cattle of Geryon. En route, while crossing the Libyan Desert, he became so frustrated at the heat that he shot an arrow at Helios. Admiring the hero’s courage, Helios gave him the golden cup, which Helios used to sail nightly across the Ocean from west to east, and Herakles used it to help him reach Erytheia. Upon arriving there, Herakles was confronted by the two-headed watchdog, Orthros, and the herdsman Eurytion, each of whom he killed with his club. Hearing what was happening, Geryon, armed with three shields, three spears, and wearing three helmets, pursued Herakles to the River Anthemus. Once there, Herakles shot Geryon dead with an arrow he had poisoned with the blood of the Lernaean Hydra. To annoy Herakles as he drove the cattle back to Eurystheus, Hera sent a gadfly to scatter the herd by biting them. After a year’s labor, Herakles recovered the herd, but was further hindered by a flood, also caused by the goddess. Herakles eventually returned to Tiryns, and Eurystheus sacrificed the cattle to Hera.
The final winners of all Triton XXIX lots will be determined at the live public sale that will be held on 13-14 January 2026.
Triton XXIX – Session Two – Lot 302-613 will be held Tuesday afternoon, 13 January 2026 beginning at 2:00 PM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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