Lot 621
621
Italy, Bruttium, Kroton (c. 370 BC), Silver Stater, 8.05 gms., die axis 360°, /KKROTONIATAS/k around laureate head of Apollo right, rev. the infant Herakles, squatting on a rock and strangling two serpents (SNG ANS 384-88; Boston 191; SNG Cop. 1804; SNG Lloyd 617; ACGC 637), an "X" very lightly scratched in the left obverse field, otherwise toned, choice very fine and rare

Details
Italy, Bruttium, Kroton (c. 370 BC), Silver Stater, 8.05 gms., die axis 360°, /KKROTONIATAS/k around laureate head of Apollo right, rev. the infant Herakles, squatting on a rock and strangling two serpents (SNG ANS 384-88; Boston 191; SNG Cop. 1804; SNG Lloyd 617; ACGC 637), an "X" very lightly scratched in the left obverse field, otherwise toned, choice very fine and rare
Provenance
Pruchased from Charles Morley in 1946 for $225
Von Schennis Collection, Hirsch Sale, 1913, lot 250
Further details
In legend, Herakles was the founder of Kroton but was born at Thebes in mainland Greece, the son of Zeus and a mortal woman Alcmene. Zeus' wife Hera was, understandably, jealous of Herakles' from birth and sent two serpents to attack him in his cradle. As this coin shows, the infant hero promptly strangled the two snakes, one with each hand. It has been suggested that the iconography of this coinage, like that of the contemporary coinage of Heraclea (lot 610), may also be linked with the struggle of the Greek colonists in Italy to assert themselves against the native Italian tribes.