• Additional view of object
  • Additional view of object
Dec 9, 2009
Dec 9, 2009

Tetradrachm: Head of Apollo (obverse); Head of Lion (reverse)

Tetradrachm: Head of Apollo (obverse); Head of Lion (reverse)

466–422 BC

Part of a set. See all set records

Greek, minted at Leontinoi

(Sicily)

Silver

Diameter: 2.5 cm (1 in.)

Weight: 15.681 g (0.55 oz)

Die axis: 2

Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1917.988

Location

not on view

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Did you know?

The lion on coins of Leontini marks a pun on the city name.

Description

The lion, king of the beasts and an animal associated with regal and heroic power, featured prominently on the coinage of many ancient Greek city-states. Artists placed the lion in a variety of poses, sometimes including the whole body, at other times the foreparts or just the head. Although it may once have roamed nearby, for many Greeks the lion was a monster nearly as exotic as the Chimaera, of which it formed a part, together with a goat head and snake-headed tail.

See also
Collection: 
GR - Greek
Department: 
Greek and Roman Art
Type of artwork: 
Coins
Medium: 
Silver
Credit line: 
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust

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