Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XII 29 September 2016
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Cilicia, Tarsos AR Stater. Circa 425-400 BC. Bellerophon riding Pegasos to right, ankh symbol below / Bellerophon riding Pegasos to left, ankh symbol below. Cf. Baldwins 34, 214 for similar types on a tetrobol; otherwise apparently unpublished in the standard references. 10.78g, 20mm, 4h.
Good Very Fine. Apparently unpublished in the standard references, and an important addition to the numismatic corpus.
The use of Bellerophon on this coin is a reflection of one of the city's early foundation legends. The myths tell us that as Bellerophon's fame grew, so did his hubris. He felt that because of his victory over the Chimera, and because he thought he was a god he deserved to fly to Mount Olympus, the realm of the gods. This presumption angered Zeus and he sent a gadfly to sting Bellerophon's mount, Pegasos, causing Pegasos to accidentally throw Bellerophon to the ground. The story as it pertains to Tarsos is that it was on the site of the future city that Bellerophon landed, hurting his foot, thus leading the city to be named tar-sos (the sole of the foot). In this region, on the Plain of Aleion ("Wandering"), Bellerophon lived out his life in misery as a blinded and crippled hermit, grieving and shunning the haunts of men until he died.
Good Very Fine. Apparently unpublished in the standard references, and an important addition to the numismatic corpus.
The use of Bellerophon on this coin is a reflection of one of the city's early foundation legends. The myths tell us that as Bellerophon's fame grew, so did his hubris. He felt that because of his victory over the Chimera, and because he thought he was a god he deserved to fly to Mount Olympus, the realm of the gods. This presumption angered Zeus and he sent a gadfly to sting Bellerophon's mount, Pegasos, causing Pegasos to accidentally throw Bellerophon to the ground. The story as it pertains to Tarsos is that it was on the site of the future city that Bellerophon landed, hurting his foot, thus leading the city to be named tar-sos (the sole of the foot). In this region, on the Plain of Aleion ("Wandering"), Bellerophon lived out his life in misery as a blinded and crippled hermit, grieving and shunning the haunts of men until he died.