Sale: CNG 60, Lot: 1220. Estimate $150.  Closing Date: Wednesday, 22 May 2002.  Sold For $90. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

THRACE, Philippopolis. Elagabalus. 218-222 AD. Æ 20mm (3.95 gm). Laureate head right / Nude athlete facing right, wielding a javelin. SNG Copenhagen -; BMC Thrace, etc. -; Mionnet I -. VF, dark green patina, porous. ($150)

The javelin, along with the discus and broad-jump carrying weights, was unique to the ancient Pentathlon; the remaining two events were the 200-yard foot race and wrestling. The ancient javelin differed from its modern counterpart in that a finger thong was used; i.e., a leather thong attached to the shaft of the javelin with a loop for the athlete's first and second fingers. The device functioned as a sling and was also used on Greek military javelins. Purportedly, Napolean Bonaparte tested the finger thong finding that an untrained athlete could throw the javelin 81 feet without the thong and 211 feet with the thong. In antiquity, it is believed that an athlete was given five attempts to produce his best effort with the javelin.