Roma Numismatics Ltd
E-Sale 43 3 Feb 2018
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Antoninus Pius Æ Drachm of Alexandria, Egypt. Dated RY 5 = AD 141/2. [ΑVΤ Κ Τ ΑΙΛ Α]ΔΡ ΑΝΤѠΝΙΝ[ΟС] С[ƐΒ ƐVС], laureate bust right / The Judgement of Paris: on rocks from left to right, Aphrodite standing left; Hera seated left, holding long sceptre; Athena standing left, holding sceptre; in front of them, Hermes holding caduceus and explaining to Paris the task; at the foot of the rock, the herd of Paris; [LƐ] (date) in left field. RPC Online 14831 (temporary); Emmett 1632 var. (Hera standing); Dattari (Savio) 8848. 25.77g, 34mm, 1h.
Near Very Fine. Extremely Rare; the first example of the type with Hera depicted seated to be sold since the Jungfleisch example in 1998 (The New York Sale, 1, 1998, lot 175).
The story of the judgement of Paris begins at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis (the parents of Achilles) to which every god or goddess was invited except Eris, the goddess of discord. In her anger she threw an apple into the gathering upon which it was written 'To The Fairest'. Three goddesses laid claim to the apple, Athena, Hera and Aphrodite, and it was decided that Zeus would choose the winner. Rather than facing the anger of the two not chosen, Zeus instructed Hermes to lead the goddesses to Paris, a prince of Troy who was known for his fairness. Each goddess offered Paris a bribe: Aphrodite promised the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, as a wife (despite her being married already to the Greek Menelaus); Athena offered strength in battle and wisdom; and Hera offered to make him king of Europe and Asia. Paris chose Aphrodite's gift and thus made himself and Troy enemies of the Greeks and several gods (especially Hera). This animosity culminated in the Trojan War, a ten-year besiegement of Troy by the Greeks which is the central topic of Homer's Iliad.
Near Very Fine. Extremely Rare; the first example of the type with Hera depicted seated to be sold since the Jungfleisch example in 1998 (The New York Sale, 1, 1998, lot 175).
The story of the judgement of Paris begins at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis (the parents of Achilles) to which every god or goddess was invited except Eris, the goddess of discord. In her anger she threw an apple into the gathering upon which it was written 'To The Fairest'. Three goddesses laid claim to the apple, Athena, Hera and Aphrodite, and it was decided that Zeus would choose the winner. Rather than facing the anger of the two not chosen, Zeus instructed Hermes to lead the goddesses to Paris, a prince of Troy who was known for his fairness. Each goddess offered Paris a bribe: Aphrodite promised the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, as a wife (despite her being married already to the Greek Menelaus); Athena offered strength in battle and wisdom; and Hera offered to make him king of Europe and Asia. Paris chose Aphrodite's gift and thus made himself and Troy enemies of the Greeks and several gods (especially Hera). This animosity culminated in the Trojan War, a ten-year besiegement of Troy by the Greeks which is the central topic of Homer's Iliad.