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Galeria Valeria, Augusta, June 293(?) - 311 A.D., Second Wife of Galerius
Venus (Aphrodite) can be faulted for the Trojan War. Upset that she was not invited to a wedding, she went anyway and maliciously left a golden apple inscribed "For the fairest" on the banquet table. The goddesses, as Aphrodite expected, argued who was the rightful possessor of this prize. It was determined the most handsome mortal in the world, a noble Trojan youth named Paris, would decide. Each of the three finalists offered Paris a bribe. Hera promised he would rule the world. Athena said she would make him victorious in battle. Aphrodite guaranteed the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. This was Helen, who was married to the king of Sparta. Paris awarded the golden apple to Aphrodite. Aphrodite enabled Paris to elope with Helen, Helen of Troy. Helen's husband raised a Greek army to retrieve his wife, starting the Trojan War.RT99579. Billon follis, Hunter V p. 72, 9 (also 2nd officina); RIC VI Heraclea p. 536, 43; SRCV IV 14593; Cohen VII 2, Choice VF, well centered, dark brown tone, weight 4.755 g, maximum diameter 25.6 mm, die axis 0o, 4th officina, Heraclea (Marmara Ereglisi, Turkey) mint, c. 309 - 310 A.D.; obverse GAL VALERIA AVG, draped bust right, wearing stephane, hair in looped plait on neck and up back of head; reverse VENERI VICTRICI (to victorious Venus), Venus standing facing, head left, raising apple in right hand, raising drapery over shoulder with left hand, HTB in exergue; from the Ed Strivelli Collection, ex FORVM (2020), ex Maxwell Hunt Collection, ex Pegasi Coins; SOLD