Classical Numismatic Group, LLC
Electronic Auction 523 7 Sep 2022
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TROAS, Ilium. Commodus. AD 177-192. Æ (19mm, 3.92 g, 6h). Struck circa AD 176-179. Bareheaded, draped, and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind / Hector, helmeted and nude, standing facing, head left, holding spear and sword. Bellinger T181; RPC IV.2 117. Dark brown patina, minor roughness, cleaning scratches. Good Fine. Extremely rare, only one known to RPC, none in CoinArchives.
For nine years in the Trojan War, the fortunes of both sides ebbed and flowed. During the tenth year, Achilles, upset over the loss of the woman Chryseis to Agamemnon, the commander of the Greeks, withdrew to his tent and refused to fight. The loss of the greatest of the Greek warriors allowed the Trojans under the command of Hector, the eldest son of Priam, to gain the upper hand. At that point, Patroclus then offered to put on Achilles' armor in order to rouse the Greeks to fight. Thinking that Achilles had returned to battle, Hector dashed out on to the field of battle in his chariot (Hom. Il. 16. 367-369):
Ἕκτορα δ᾽ ἵπποι // ἔκφερον ὠκύποδες σὺν τεύχεσι, λεῖπε δὲ λαὸν // Τρωϊκόν, οὓς ἀέκοντας ὀρυκτὴ τάφρος ἔρυκε. ("But the swift-footed horses did carry forth Hektor with his equipage, and he left behind the Trojan host, whom unwilling the excavated trench held back.")
Hector killed the clearly ill-matched Patroclus, and, in order to avenge his friend, Achilles returned to the field to slay Hector.
For nine years in the Trojan War, the fortunes of both sides ebbed and flowed. During the tenth year, Achilles, upset over the loss of the woman Chryseis to Agamemnon, the commander of the Greeks, withdrew to his tent and refused to fight. The loss of the greatest of the Greek warriors allowed the Trojans under the command of Hector, the eldest son of Priam, to gain the upper hand. At that point, Patroclus then offered to put on Achilles' armor in order to rouse the Greeks to fight. Thinking that Achilles had returned to battle, Hector dashed out on to the field of battle in his chariot (Hom. Il. 16. 367-369):
Ἕκτορα δ᾽ ἵπποι // ἔκφερον ὠκύποδες σὺν τεύχεσι, λεῖπε δὲ λαὸν // Τρωϊκόν, οὓς ἀέκοντας ὀρυκτὴ τάφρος ἔρυκε. ("But the swift-footed horses did carry forth Hektor with his equipage, and he left behind the Trojan host, whom unwilling the excavated trench held back.")
Hector killed the clearly ill-matched Patroclus, and, in order to avenge his friend, Achilles returned to the field to slay Hector.