GRYPHI. Griffins or Griffons.----Fabulous animals, having the body of a lion, and the head of an eagle or hawk, with a crest and wings.----They were sacred to Apollo or the Sun, and are often figured near him. On coins of Aureliopolis, griffins are represented drawing his chariot. A third brass of Gallienus exhibits a griffin walking, the accompanying legend being APOLLINI CONServatori AVGusti. On a brass medallion of Antoninus Pius, this monster appears flying, with a young man on his back, wearing a Phrygian cap. A woman seated on a griffin forms the reverse type of a brass medallion of Hadrian. It is also seen on denarii of the Aelia, Junia, and Papia families. Vaillant considers the griffin to indicate the Apollinarian games. There is a griffin sitting, on a small brass coin of Domitian (engraved in Morell. Thesaurus, TAB. 25).