ANTOCHOS VII Seleucid Ancient Greek Coin Nemean Lion Hercules Labor i36803

Item: i36803

Authentic Ancient

Greek Coin of:

The Seleucid Kingdom
 Antiochos VII, Euergetes (Sidetes) –

Bronze 14mm (2.54 grams) Struck 138-137 B.C.
Reference: Sear 7100
Nemean lion’s head right.
 Club; on right, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ANTIOXOY; on left, EYEPΓETOY;
 ΔI monogram and aplustre in field to left;  beneath, Seleukid
date EOP (=175 = 138/7 B.C.).

* Numismatic Note: This coin refers to Hercules’ first labor,
which was to defeat the Nemean lion, as the reverse symbol of the club refers to
Hercules. Hercules wore the i

Almost alone amongst the later Seleukid monarchs, ANtiochos
VII ruled with competence and integrity. He was the younger borther of Demetrios
II, and following the latter’s capture by the Parthians he seized power and
quickly disposed of the usurper Tryphon. He campaiged with success in Palestine
and Babylonia, but in 129 B.C. he was killed in battle against the Parthians.

You are bidding on the exact item pictured,

Authenticity.

The Nemean Lion (Greek, Λέων
της Νεμέας (Léōn tēs Neméas);
Latin
: Leo Nemaeus) was a
vicious monster in
Greek mythology

that lived in
Nemea
. He was eventually killed by
Heracles
.
It could not be killed in a usual fashion because its golden fur was impervious
to attack. It could only be killed by shooting it or stabbing it in the mouth.
Its claws were sharper than mortal swords and could cut through any armor.

The lion’s origin is usually considered as being the offspring of
Typhon
and
Echidna
; it is also said to have fallen from the moon as the offspring of
Zeus and
Selene
, or
alternatively born of the
Chimera
. The Nemean Lion was sent to Nemea (modern-day
Peloponnese
peninsula of
Greece
) to
terrorize the city.

 The
First Labor of Hercules

The first of Hercules
‘
twelve labours
, set by King
Eurystheus

(his cousin) was to slay the Nemean lion and bring back its pelt.

According to Greek myth, the Nemean lion took hostages to its home in a cave
near the city of Nemea, luring warriors from nearby towns to save the damsel in
distress. After entering the cave, the warrior would see the woman (usually
feigning to be injured) and rush to her side. Once he was close, the woman would
transform into the lion and kill the warrior, devouring his remains and giving
the bones to Hades.

Heracles wandered the area until he came upon the town of
Cleonae
.
There he met a boy who said that if Heracles slew the Nemean lion and returned
alive within 30 days, the town would sacrifice a lion to Zeus; but if he did not
return within 30 days or he died, the boy would sacrifice himself to Zeus.

While searching for the lion, Heracles fletched arrows to use against it, not
knowing that its golden fur was impenetrable; upon finding the lion and firing
at it with his bow, he deduced the fur’s protective property when the lion would
not die. After some time, Heracles made the lion return to his cave. The cave
had two entrances, one of which Heracles blocked; he then entered the other. In
those dark and close quarters, Hercules stunned the beast with his club and
strangled it. Finally, because no mortal weapon could pierce the golden fur,
Heracles used the lion’s own claws to skin the pelt. Another version of the
legend that says that Heracles to shot it with arrows, and eventually shot it in
the throat, killing it.

When he returned to the King, King Eurystheus was shocked. He gave Heracles
the lion’s invincible pelt to wear as a cloak, but warned Hercules that the
tasks set for him would become increasingly difficult. He then sent Heracles off
to complete his next quest, which was to destroy the Lernaean hydra..

Heracles completed this task over the course of three months when he was
eighteen years old.

Antiochus VII Euergetes, nicknamed Sidetes

(from Side
), ruler

of the

Hellenistic

Seleucid Empire

, reigned from 138 to 129 BC. He was the last Seleucid king

of any stature.

The brother of

Demetrius II

, Antiochus was elevated after Demetrius’ capture by the

Parthians
. He

married

Cleopatra Thea

, who had been the wife of Demetrius. Their offspring was

Antiochus IX

, who thus became both half-brother and cousin to

Seleucus V

and

Antiochus VIII

.

Sidetes defeated the usurper

Tryphon

at

Dora

^[1]

and laid siege to

Jerusalem

in 134. According to

Josephus

the Hasmonean

king John Hyrcanus

opened King

David
‘s sepulchre

and removed three thousand talents, which he then paid Antiochus to spare the

city. Sidetes then attacked the Parthians, supported by a body of Jews under

Hyrcanus, and briefly took back

Mesopotamia

,

Babylonia

and Media
before

being ambushed and killed by

Phraates II

. His brother

Demetrius II

had by then been released, but the Seleucid realm was now

restricted to Syria
.