Sale: Nomos 6, Lot: 184. Estimate CHF5500.  Closing Date: Monday, 7 May 2012.  Sold For CHF12000. This amount does not include the buyer’s fee.

Perinthus, Thrace. Elagabalus. 218-222. Oktassrion (Bronze, 41mm, 37.11 g 7). ΑΥΤ Κ Μ ΑΥΡ CΕΥΗ ΑΝΤΩΝΕΙΝΟC ΑΥΓ Laureate and cuirassed bust of Elagabalus to right, with head of the Medusa on his cuirass and aegis over his left shoulder. Rev. ΠΕΡΙΝΘΙΩΝ ΔΙC ΝΕΩΚΟΡΩΝ Herakles striding right, club in his upraised right hand, about to strike the Amazon queen Hippolyta, whom he grasps with his left hand as she falls from her collapsing horse to right; she tries to ward off his left hand with her right and holds her shield in her left; in exergue her fallen double ax, or labrys. Schönert, Perinthos, 721 (same dies). Very rare. A wonderful example, well struck and with a fine green patina. Extremely fine.

From the M Collection, ex Gorny & Mosch 151, 9 October 2006, 264 and Gorny & Mosch 133, 11 October 2004, 309.

Herakles’ ninth labor was the acquisition of the belt of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons’s. When he arrived Hippolyta agreed to let him have it, since it was rather old fashioned and out of style. However, Hera, who hated Herakles and wanted him dead, changed herself into an Amazon and convinced the other Amazons to attack. As a result, Heraklkes killed Hippolyta and went off with the belt.