Roma Numismatics Ltd
Auction XVII 28 Mar 2019
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Crete, Gortyna AR Stater. Circa 4th century BC. Europa seated half right within branches of a tree, her right hand resting on a branch below, her left arm extended before her / Cretan bull standing right, head facing, bee below. Le Rider p. 79, 67, pl. 19, 3 (same dies); Svoronos 70, pl. 14, 17 (same dies). 11.76g, 26mm, 6h.
Extremely Fine. Very Rare, and in exceptional condition for the type.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction IX, 22 March 2015, lot 264 (hammer price: £12,000);
Ex Eckenheimer Collection.
This coin type recalls the myth of Europa and the bull, an ancient story linking the Greek and Semitic worlds. The daughter of the king of Tyre, according to the Cretan myth, Europa was carried off by Zeus in the form of a white bull to the island of Crete, and then taking the form of an eagle, made love to Europa in a scene reminiscent of Leda and the swan.
Europa bore three sons to Zeus, Minos, who later became king of Crete, Rhadamanthys, who became king of the Cycladic Islands and Sarpendon, who became king of Lycia. Zeus gave Europa in marriage to Asterius, the King of Crete who adopted the three sons. Upon Europa's death she was deified and was worshipped under the name 'Hellotis'. The Cretans held the festival of Hellotia in her honour, an event which included carrying her bones, wrapped in myrtle, around the city in procession.
The depiction of Europa here is unconventional; instead of her usual appearance as a scantily-clad young woman she wears a polo (an archaic headdress which in this period was usually only associated with deities such as Hera or Artemis), and holds a bird-tipped sceptre – both symbols of royalty. These attributes suggest that her depiction here shows Europa in her station as queen of Crete rather than the young girl who was pursued by Zeus.
The tree upon which Europa sits on the obverse design of this coin also echoes part of the Europa and Zeus myth: a plane tree was thought to have been the location where their three children were conceived. The plane tree was thus made sacred by the Cretans and a fragment of the beliefs concerning it still survive to this day - some people in modern Gortyna still collect leaves from this tree in the hope that they will bring fertility.
Extremely Fine. Very Rare, and in exceptional condition for the type.
Ex Roma Numismatics Ltd., Auction IX, 22 March 2015, lot 264 (hammer price: £12,000);
Ex Eckenheimer Collection.
This coin type recalls the myth of Europa and the bull, an ancient story linking the Greek and Semitic worlds. The daughter of the king of Tyre, according to the Cretan myth, Europa was carried off by Zeus in the form of a white bull to the island of Crete, and then taking the form of an eagle, made love to Europa in a scene reminiscent of Leda and the swan.
Europa bore three sons to Zeus, Minos, who later became king of Crete, Rhadamanthys, who became king of the Cycladic Islands and Sarpendon, who became king of Lycia. Zeus gave Europa in marriage to Asterius, the King of Crete who adopted the three sons. Upon Europa's death she was deified and was worshipped under the name 'Hellotis'. The Cretans held the festival of Hellotia in her honour, an event which included carrying her bones, wrapped in myrtle, around the city in procession.
The depiction of Europa here is unconventional; instead of her usual appearance as a scantily-clad young woman she wears a polo (an archaic headdress which in this period was usually only associated with deities such as Hera or Artemis), and holds a bird-tipped sceptre – both symbols of royalty. These attributes suggest that her depiction here shows Europa in her station as queen of Crete rather than the young girl who was pursued by Zeus.
The tree upon which Europa sits on the obverse design of this coin also echoes part of the Europa and Zeus myth: a plane tree was thought to have been the location where their three children were conceived. The plane tree was thus made sacred by the Cretans and a fragment of the beliefs concerning it still survive to this day - some people in modern Gortyna still collect leaves from this tree in the hope that they will bring fertility.