Athena Palladion / Herakles

Obverse: Statuette of Athena - the Palladion - shown standing facing, wearing a helmet, cuirass and a peplos, holding her shield in her left hand and brandishing her spear in her right.
Reverse: Head of youthful Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress

Nomos has suggested a post-409 date for this issue; however, this assessment appears to overlook the reverse type of Herakles, which is strongly associated with mercenary groups active during and in the aftermath of the Carthaginian campaigns in Sicily. Given the frequency of this type in that specific military context, a later horizon within the period of instability is more convincing. I therefore follow the chronology proposed in HGC 2, placing the issue circa 405–382 BCE.

Details

Numista Reference

Provenance