Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 132 30-31 May 2022
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Crete, Phaistos
Stater circa 350, AR 11.65 g. ΦAIΣTI[ΩN] Heracles seated l. atop lion's skin draped over rock, head slightly r., club resting against l. leg; before him, tree upon which is hung his bow and quiver; behind, large amphora. Rev. ΦAIΣ Bull butting l.; all within wreath. Traité pl. 256, 5 (these dies). Svoronos, Crete 33 and pl. XXIV, 2 (these dies). Le Rider, Monnaies Crétoise pl. XXII, 29 (these dies).
Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. Struck in high relief on
a very broad flan and with a superb old cabinet tone. Extremely fine
Ex M&M sale XIX, 1959, 455. From a Distinguished Swiss collection.
Phaistos was one of the important palace centers of Bronze Age Crete. Following the description given in Strabo's Geography, its site was discovered by Thomas Spratt in 1853. Although the palace complex was destroyed by earthquake in the 18th century BC, it was rebuilt only to be destroyed again by the invading Achaeans in c. 1400 BC. Phaistos was subsequently abandoned, but in the Iron Age the site was resettled as a Greek city. According to the account given by Diodorus Siculus in the first century BC, Phaistos could trace its foundation back to the great Cretan king Minos, who controlled the Aegean Sea with his ships and could command Athens to pay tribute in youths to feed the monstrous Minotaur. Phaistos was said to have been built alongside Knossos and Kydonia-the other cities attributed to Minos-probably to reflect its frequent political domination by Knossos. In contrast, another probably local tradition known to Pausanias in the second century AD claimed that the city was founded by a son of Herakles, the eponymous hero Phaistos. Unfortunately, the strength of Herakles and his son seem not to have been passed on to the city in full measure. In the early second century BC Phaistos was destroyed by Gortyna out of revenge for Phaistian involvement in a Gortynian civil war in the late third century BC. The present stater seems to endorse the origin story reported by Pausanias in which Phaistos was connected to Herakles. The obverse depicts the great hero resting after his labours while the reverse type indicates that he is specifically resting after the completion of his seventh labour: the capture of the Cretan Bull. This creature had been a curse on Crete in the days of King Minos, for not only did its rampages cause great destruction throughout the island, but its beauty inspired an unnatural desire in the king's wife that led to the birth of the Minotaur. Not surprisingly under the circumstances, Minos was very happy to have Herakles carry away the Cretan Bull to mainland Greece. However, after the animal arrived at the court of Eurystheus of Tiryns the bull is said to have escaped to cause new destruction in the environs of Marathon in Attica. It was later killed by Theseus not long before his departure from Athens to Crete with the intent to slay the Minotaur.
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Stater circa 350, AR 11.65 g. ΦAIΣTI[ΩN] Heracles seated l. atop lion's skin draped over rock, head slightly r., club resting against l. leg; before him, tree upon which is hung his bow and quiver; behind, large amphora. Rev. ΦAIΣ Bull butting l.; all within wreath. Traité pl. 256, 5 (these dies). Svoronos, Crete 33 and pl. XXIV, 2 (these dies). Le Rider, Monnaies Crétoise pl. XXII, 29 (these dies).
Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. Struck in high relief on
a very broad flan and with a superb old cabinet tone. Extremely fine
Ex M&M sale XIX, 1959, 455. From a Distinguished Swiss collection.
Phaistos was one of the important palace centers of Bronze Age Crete. Following the description given in Strabo's Geography, its site was discovered by Thomas Spratt in 1853. Although the palace complex was destroyed by earthquake in the 18th century BC, it was rebuilt only to be destroyed again by the invading Achaeans in c. 1400 BC. Phaistos was subsequently abandoned, but in the Iron Age the site was resettled as a Greek city. According to the account given by Diodorus Siculus in the first century BC, Phaistos could trace its foundation back to the great Cretan king Minos, who controlled the Aegean Sea with his ships and could command Athens to pay tribute in youths to feed the monstrous Minotaur. Phaistos was said to have been built alongside Knossos and Kydonia-the other cities attributed to Minos-probably to reflect its frequent political domination by Knossos. In contrast, another probably local tradition known to Pausanias in the second century AD claimed that the city was founded by a son of Herakles, the eponymous hero Phaistos. Unfortunately, the strength of Herakles and his son seem not to have been passed on to the city in full measure. In the early second century BC Phaistos was destroyed by Gortyna out of revenge for Phaistian involvement in a Gortynian civil war in the late third century BC. The present stater seems to endorse the origin story reported by Pausanias in which Phaistos was connected to Herakles. The obverse depicts the great hero resting after his labours while the reverse type indicates that he is specifically resting after the completion of his seventh labour: the capture of the Cretan Bull. This creature had been a curse on Crete in the days of King Minos, for not only did its rampages cause great destruction throughout the island, but its beauty inspired an unnatural desire in the king's wife that led to the birth of the Minotaur. Not surprisingly under the circumstances, Minos was very happy to have Herakles carry away the Cretan Bull to mainland Greece. However, after the animal arrived at the court of Eurystheus of Tiryns the bull is said to have escaped to cause new destruction in the environs of Marathon in Attica. It was later killed by Theseus not long before his departure from Athens to Crete with the intent to slay the Minotaur.
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