BITHYNIA, Heraclaea Pontica. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ Tetrassarion (29mm, 18.70 g, 6h). Good Fine.

Electronic Auction 604
Lot: 457. Estimated: $ 200

Roman Provincial, Bronze

Sold For $ 450. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

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BITHYNIA, Heraclaea Pontica. Caracalla. AD 198-217. Æ Tetrassarion (29mm, 18.70 g, 6h). Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Herakles and the Cretan Bull – Herakles standing right, grappling with both hands the reverted head of the Cretan Bull standing right behind; Bull has both forelegs and tail raised; below, club and bow. RG 133; RPC V.2 Online 72505. Brown patina, porosity. Good Fine. Extremely rare, only two recorded in RPC.

From the Heather Howard Collection.

Compelled to capture the Cretan Bull, which had sired the Minotaur, as his seventh Labor, Herakles sailed to Crete. There, Minos the king of Crete, gave the hero permission to take the bull away, as it had been causing destruction on the island. Herakles strangled the bull with his bare hands, and shipped it back to Athens. Although Eurystheus wished to sacrifice the bull to Hera, the goddess refused the sacrifice because it reflected glory on her sworn enemy. The bull was released and wandered into the town of Marathon, where it became known as the Marathonian Bull.

Closing Date and Time: 18 February 2026 at 12:32:00 ET.

All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.