Gallienus Æ 24mm of Seleucia ad Calycadnum, Cilicia. AD 253-268. ΑΥ Κ Π ΛΚ ΓΑΛΛΙΗΝΟϹ, laureate, draped and cuirassed bust to right / [ϹЄΛЄΥ]ΚЄΩ[Ν] ΚΑΛΥΚ, Athena standing right, holding shield and striking with spear at serpent-legged giant, who hurls stone. SNG France 1064-6; SNG Levante 789; SNG Leypold 2615. 8.16g, 24mm, 6h.
Very Fine.
From the collection of Z.P., Austria.
The reverse of this coin depicts a scene from the Gigantomachy, the great battle fought between the Giants and the Olympian gods for supremacy of the cosmos. The most important divine struggle in Greek mythology, the Gigantomachy was the second major conflict of Zeus' reign. In this scene we see Athena spearing a serpent-legged Giant, perhaps Enkelados.