Prusias ad Hypium (AD 217-218) AE 34 - Macrinus

Macrinus, 217-218 AD. AE34 (22.78g). Laurate and cuirassed bust right / Hercules standing left, wrestling giant Antaeus whom he is lifting off the ground. Brown-green patina. Light scratches on rev.; otherwise VF.

A giant of Libya and the son of Poseidon and Gaia (the earth goddess), Antaeus would challenge travelers to wrestling matches, easily killing his opponents and collecting their bones to construct a temple to his father. Antaeus had defeated most of his opponents until it came to his fight with Heracles. Upon finding that he could not beat Antaeus by throwing him to the ground as he would reheal due to his parentage (Gaia), Heracles discovered the secret of his power. Holding Antaeus aloft, Heracles crushed him in a bearhug.