Seleukeia (AD 193-217) AE 30 - Septimius Severus & Julia Domna

Septimius Severus & Julia Domna, 193-211 AD. AE30 (16.38g, 7h). Confronted busts of Septimius Severus right, laureate and draped, and Julia Domna left, draped / Athena in facing quadriga, holding shield, about to hurl spear at anguipede giant to lower right, himself about to hurl a stone; to lower left, a second fallen giant, neck pierced by spear. Good VF, brown patina, minor roughness. From Group CEM.

The reverse of this coin recalls the second major conflict of Zeus’ rise to power. After he had defeated the Titans in the Titantomachy and apportioned their former relatives to his fellow Olympians, he was compelled to resolve a conflict with the Giants, offspring of Gaia and Cronus. Known as the Gigantomachy, these chthonic half-man, half-serpent creatures attempted to wrestle power from the Olympians by casting them out of Olympus. To accomplish this, the Giants attempted to reach Olympus by heaping up one mountain range on top of the other. From above, Zeus and the other Olympians defended themselves by hurling their weapons. In the end, however, it was the assistance of Hercules, that won the day.With the final defeat of the Giants, the rule of Zeus was no longer challenged.