Gallienus, Syedra, judgement of Ares, AE29

Gallienus, 253-268 AD, Syedra, Cilicia
29mm, 13.77g
Obv: AVT K ΠO ΛIK ΓAΛΛIHNOC CEB / IA; laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right, seen from behind
Rev: CVEΔPEΩN, Ares, cuirassed and helmeted, standing left between Dike, standing to left, head right, and Hermes, standing to right, holding Kerykeion and wearing winged shoes, holding the arms of Ares
SNG PFPS VI 1239 (same dies)

ex Rutten & Wieland (seller's picture)

'CNG notes on a similar coin:

Ares slew Halirrhothios, son of Poseidon, for assaulting Ares' daughter, Alcippe. The site where Ares came before the gods for judgement, escorted by Dike (Justice) and the herald Hermes, became the Areopagus (Hill of Ares) in Athens, the location of the Athenian law courts. Ares was absolved of murder. It is unknown why this event had such import for Syedra, but the scene appears frequently on its 3rd century coinage.

In fact, as Johannes Nollé and Margret Karola pointed out*, it is known why Syedra issued coins with this scene: In late Hellenistic times the inhabitants of Syedra suffered from repeated assaults of pirates. In these dangerous times, the people of Synedra contacted the oracle of Klaros for help and received the advice to erect a statue of Ares bound by Hermes and being judged by Dike in their city. This statue would protect them against the assaults of the pirates. The base of the statue with the inscription of this action was found during the excavation of Syedra.

*Götter, Städte, Münzen: Kleinasiatische Münzen der Römischen Kaiserzeit, Begleitheft zu einer Ausstellung von Münzen der Pfälzer Provatsammlungen, Münzen 1994, o. 23 f.'