Aureus 284-294 Rome Diocletian, Rome, Very rare, Gold, RIC:146 AU(55-58)

Prijsbieding

Bust of Diocletian, laureate, draped, cuirassed, right., Jupiter standing left, head turned back, hurling thunderbolt at kneeling Titan/Giant., Example of superb quality, on a very wide flan, still with some of its mint brightness. Slight circulation wear to the portrait beard, otherwise extremely well preserved. A splendid representation on the reverse, with a striking mythological scene: Zeus striking down an eel or snake-legged giant, none other than Porphyrion, the “king of giants”, or “greatest of giants”. From Greek mythology, this giant was one of the main characters in the Gigantomachy, the battle between the Olympian gods and the Giants. He is shown here on his knees, defeated by Zeus and struck down by the thunder of the King of the Gods. According to legend, Eros, who thought he'd kill him with one of his arrows (or Zeus himself), urges him to attack Hera, ripping off her dress. This provokes the intervention of Zeus, who strikes him with his thunderbolt, and the giant is killed with Herakles' poisoned arrow. We might see this representatiovn as an imperial propaganda tool deployed by Diocletian, then Augustus and ruler of the western part of the Roman Empire, by associating himself with the King of the Gods, and perhaps through this mythological scene, associating his enemies (notably the usurper Carausius in Gaul and Brittany) with the giant Porphyrion being struck down by the gods, a sign of future victory over the usurper of the imperial throne. Ex Harlan J. Berk, Sale 89, Feb. 1998, lot 15; Ira & Larry Goldberg, Auction 72, Feb. 2013, lot 4207 and Maison Palombo, Auction 12, Dec. 2013, lot 87. Cohen 285; Calicó 4531 (these dies). 7h. From The Hunter collection., DIOCLETIA – NVS P F AVG, IOVI FVL – GE – RAT – ORI // PR

 

Deutsch abbrev.	Deutsch Erhaltungsgrade	Englisch  Grades der Kühlung	Französisch États de  Erhaltung	Italienisch Stati di  conservazione
PP	Polierte Platte	Proof (PRF)	Flan bruni (FB)	Beweis
st	Stempelglanz, stempelfrisch	Stempelglanz (MS65-MS70)	Fleur de coin (FDC)	Fior di conio
-unz	fast unzirkuliert	Almost uncirculated (AU)
vz	Vorzüglich	Vorzüglich (EF oder XF)	Superbe (SUP)	Splendido
ss	Sehr schön	Sehr fein (VF)	Très Très beau (TTB)	Bellissimo
s	Schön	Fine (F)	Très beau (TB)	Molto bello

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