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CILICIA, Tarsus. Caracalla. AD 198-217. 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’s skin. RPC V.3 Online 84770 (this coin cited); SNG BN –; SNG Levante –. Brown patina, roughness. Good Fine. Very rare.
From the Joseph A. Dow Collection. Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 499 (1 September 2021), lot 356; Leu Numismatik AG Web Auction 14 (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: 29 July 2026 at 12:25:00 ET.
All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.
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