Heritage World Coin Auctions
NYINC Signature Sale 3044 3-4 January 2016
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Ancients
IONIA. Phocaea. Ca. 387-326 BC. EL sixth stater or hecte (10mm, 2.56 gm). Head of Queen Omphale left, wearing lion-skin headdress of Heracles and ear pendant, club over shoulder / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt 107. Perfectly struck from dies of pleasing style. NGC AU★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style.Omphale was a legendary queen of Lydia whose year-long interlude as the "dominatrix" mistress of the Greek hero Heracles presented ancient writers and artists an opportunity for erotic expression. Hercules, after murdering his friend Iphitus in a drunken rage, was commanded by the Delphic Oracle to report to Omphale and place himself in her service as a slave. Omphale reportedly humiliated Heracles by making him wear women's clothing and spin wool, while she wore his Nemean lion headdress and held his club, as she is depicted on this lovely electrum hecte. After a time, Omphale freed Heracles and "married" him in the Eastern fashion. There was an element of sexual role-reversal in the narrative that both amused and titillated the ancients.
Estimate: 2000-2500 USD
IONIA. Phocaea. Ca. 387-326 BC. EL sixth stater or hecte (10mm, 2.56 gm). Head of Queen Omphale left, wearing lion-skin headdress of Heracles and ear pendant, club over shoulder / Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt 107. Perfectly struck from dies of pleasing style. NGC AU★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style.Omphale was a legendary queen of Lydia whose year-long interlude as the "dominatrix" mistress of the Greek hero Heracles presented ancient writers and artists an opportunity for erotic expression. Hercules, after murdering his friend Iphitus in a drunken rage, was commanded by the Delphic Oracle to report to Omphale and place himself in her service as a slave. Omphale reportedly humiliated Heracles by making him wear women's clothing and spin wool, while she wore his Nemean lion headdress and held his club, as she is depicted on this lovely electrum hecte. After a time, Omphale freed Heracles and "married" him in the Eastern fashion. There was an element of sexual role-reversal in the narrative that both amused and titillated the ancients.
Estimate: 2000-2500 USD