Sardeis (AD 98-180) AE 22

2nd-3rd century AD. AE22 - Diassarion (5.22g, 6h). Bearded head of Herakles left / CARDI - ANWN, Omphale standing right with lion's skin over shoulders, holding club in left hand and drapery with right. A splendid piece, with a fine, glossy, dark green patina. Struck in high relief and especially attractive. Good extremely fine. From a Swiss private collection.

Omphale, a mythical queen of Lydia, received Herakles to do her bidding for a year in punishment for his murder of Iphytos. He even had to help her with her spinning, and she, as we see here, wore his lion’s skin and wielded his club. Struck by his charm she later freed and married him, and their children were the ancestors of the later Heraklid dynasty of Sardeis.