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EGYPT, Alexandria. Antoninus Pius. AD 138-161. Æ Drachm (33mm, 18.58 g, 12h). Dated RY 18 (AD 154/5). Laureate bust right, slight drapery on left shoulder / Lykurgos and the Vines of Dionysos – King Lykurgos right, his left knee kneeling on a vine stump, his arms pulled behind him by the vines, his head tilted up and his axe between his legs; [L I H (date) across field]. Köln –; Dattari (Savio) 8842; K&G 35.650; RPC IV.4 1700.6 (this coin); Emmett 1603.18 (R5). Earthen green patina, edge splits. Near VF. Extremely rare.
Ex Triton II (1 December 1998), lot 658.
A rather obscure myth, in one version King Lykurgos is credited with defeating the army of Dionysos when the god invaded Thrace. Dionysos escaped by plunging into the sea and sought refuge in Thetis’ grotto. Dionysos’ mother, Rhea, upset by her son’s misfortune, drove Lykurgos mad and then helped her son’s army to escape. Lykurgos, in his madness, killed his own son Dryas with an axe (believing he was cutting down a vine, hence the coin type), and then pruned the corpse of its nose, ears, fingers, and toes. Dionysos, returning from the sea, told the people of Thrace that Lykurgos would have to be killed or the land would remain barren as punishment for Lykurgos’ crime. King Lykurgos was then killed by being drawn and quartered by wild horses.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 127 lots will be determined during the live online sale that will be held on 17-18 September 2024. This lot is in Session Two, which will begin 17 September at 2 PM ET.
Winning bids are subject to a 22.5% buyer's fee for bids placed on this website and 25% for all others.
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