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Claudius and Messalina, 24 January 41 - 48 A.D., Knossos, Crete
Messalina was Claudius' 3rd wife and mother of Britannicus and Claudia Octavia. They were married when she was 14. In 48 A.D., while Claudius was away in Ostia, even though she was married to the emperor, Messalina married her lover, Gaius Silius. Silius was executed and Messalina driven to suicide.RP52082. Bronze AE 21, RPC I 1001, SNG Cop -, BMC Crete -, aVF, weight 5.895 g, maximum diameter 21.3 mm, die axis 150o, Knossos mint, 41 - 47 A.D.; obverse TI CLAVDIVS CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS, bare head of Claudius left; reverse VALERIA MESSALINA CAPITONE CYTHERO, draped bust of Messalina right; rare; SOLD
Kydonia, Crete, c. 320 - 270 B.C.
Kydonia or Cydonia was on the northwest coast of the island of Crete, at the site of the modern Greek city of Chania. In legend Kydonia was founded by King Cydon, a son of Hermes and of Akakallis, the daughter of King Minos. Cydonians are mentioned in book 12 of the Aeneid, where their excellent bow skills are used in an extended Virgilian simile describing the Fury's descent to Juturna.SH56742. Silver diobol, SNG Lockett 2548, Dewing 2000, Robinson Pseudoaeginetica 48, SNG Cop -, Svoronos Crete -, VF, toned, weight 1.497 g, maximum diameter 12.6 mm, Kydonia (Chania, Crete, Greece) mint, c. 320 - 270 B.C.; obverse head of Nymph Kydonia left; reverse raised linear skew design (quartered square, one quarter bisected diagonally), imitating an archaic incuse; scarce; SOLD
Phaistos, Crete, c. 320 - 270 B.C.
Phaistos has been inhabited since 4000 B.C. In Greek mythology, Talos (or Talon) was a giant winged man of bronze who protected Europa in Crete from pirates and invaders. He circled the island's shores three times daily.GB38685. Bronze AE 18, Svoronos Crète 74; SNG Cop 520; BMC Crete p. 64, 27 - 28, F, weight 3.879 g, maximum diameter 17.5 mm, die axis 270o, Phaistos mint, c. 320 - 270 B.C.; obverse Talos advancing right, nude, hurling stone in his right hand, holding another in his left; reverse hound on the scent to right, ΦAIC/TIΩN in two lines, starting above, ending in exergue; rare; SOLD
Caligula and Germanicus, 16 March 37 - 24 January 41 A.D., Knossos, Crete
SH35133. Bronze AE 23, RPC I 996; Svoronos Crète 204, VF, weight 6.620 g, maximum diameter 23.3 mm, die axis 180o, Knossos mint, obverse C CAESAR AVG GERMANICVS, laureate head of Caligula right; reverse GERM CAESAR PVLCHRO III VARIO IIVIR, laureate head of Germanicus right; SOLD
Domitian, 13 September 81 - 18 September 96 A.D., Crete
SH17138. Bronze AE 19, cf. RPC II 2814 (Uncertain, Pegasus standing left), F, weight 4.004 g, maximum diameter 19.2 mm, die axis 180o, Cretan mint, obverse laureate head right; reverse Pegasos standing right; brown and green patina; very rare; SOLD
Caligula and Germanicus, 16 March 37 - 24 January 41 A.D., Knossos, Crete
Knossos is famous for the myth of King Minos and his dreaded Minotaur and Labyrinth. In Roman times, Knossos was the second city of Crete with a thriving economy. The cachet of its ancient name attracted the patronage of Hadrian, who did much to embellish Knossos along with the other historic cities of Greece.SH60668. Bronze AE 21, RPC I 992, Svoronos Crete 210, aVF, rough, weight 5.733 g, maximum diameter 20.8 mm, die axis 180o, Knossos mint, obverse C CAESARI AVG GERMANICO, laureate head of Caligula left; reverse GERM CAESAR DOSSENN PVLCHR IIVIR, laureate head of Germanicus right; SOLD
Lappa, Crete, c. 3rd Century B.C.
GB16448. Bronze AE 12, Svoronos Crète 18, pl. XX, 7; SGCV I 3328, VF, weight 2.560 g, maximum diameter 12.4 mm, die axis 0o, Crete, Lappa mint, obverse head of Artemis right; reverse facing bull head, left horn curled up, right horn curled down; rare; SOLD
Itanos, Crete, c. 320 - 270 B.C.
GS80310. Silver drachm, SGCV I 3320, Svoronos Crète 36, SNG Cop 475, gF, weight 5.166 g, maximum diameter 17.8 mm, die axis 180o, Itanos mint, c. 320 - 270 B.C.; obverse head of Athena left in crested Attic helmet; reverse [IT]ANIΩN, eagle standing left, looking back to right, Triton in right field, all within incuse square; scarce; SOLD
Plus an AE20, with Zeus head right / Hyria.LT25748. Bronze lot, 6 bronze coins from Crete, Fair to VF, actual coins in the photograph, only one lot available; SOLD
Knossos, Crete, 3rd Century B.C.
Wrapped in legend, but also clearly manifested in the archaeological record, is a huge Bronze Age labyrinth at Knossos. In mythology, the Labyrinth was designed and built by Daedalus to hold the Minotaur for King Minos. The Minotaur, half man and half bull, was killed by the Athenian hero Theseus.GB41390. Bronze AE 11, BMC Crete p 22, 32 - 33, VF, weight 1.483 g, maximum diameter 10.8 mm, obverse star of eight rays, pellet between each ray; reverse square labyrinth; ex William B. Porter Collection; SOLD