Tetradrachm: Head of Young Herakles (obverse); Zeus (reverse)

Cleveland Museum of Art

Tetradrachm: Head of Young Herakles (obverse); Zeus (reverse)

Date
336–323 BCE
Medium
silver
Culture
Greek, Macedonian, minted at Amphipolis (Macedonia), reign of Alexander III [The Great]
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Institution
Cleveland Museum of Art
Object ID
120471

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

On this coin, the head of a youthful Herakles, wearing his lion-skin, appears on the obverse, with his father Zeus, king of the gods, seated on the reverse. For Alexander III (the Great), coins like this one projected power. Thus, while their attributes (lion-skin, eagle, scepter) identify hero and god, the inscription ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ (of Alexander) identifies the leader. Alexander the Great claimed descent from Herakles and Zeus, picturing them both on his coinage.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line
Gift of Dr. Jacob Hirsch

Part of a LinkedCulture topic

  • Representative object from the topic Ancient Greek Silver Tetradrachms
    Ancient Greek Silver Tetradrachms

    These objects are all tetradrachm coins, a standard ancient Greek silver denomination, depicting various deities and symbols from Greek city-states and territories across the Mediterranean.

    333 objects from 3 institutions

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