460 BC - 400 BC

Mysia   Kyzikos
Μυσία   Κύζικος



Stater / Στατήρ EL 18
SHH 283

283 Mysia Kyzikos Stater EL

Weight
Obverse
Reverse
Notes
Reference
16.00 g   16-19 mm   VF
Gaia rising out of the ground, bearing the infant Erichthonios; tunny below.
Quadripartite incuse square of mill sail pattern.
?

BMC Mysia 65 (450-400 BC); Boston MPA 1500; Copenhagen ---; Dewing ---;
von Fritze I 157; Greenwell 31; Gulbenkian ---; Sear Greek ---


Gaia and Erichthonios

The myth of Erichthonios places him at the beginning of the line of Athenian kings. Born of Gaia through Hephaestus, the infant was entrusted to Athena, who gave him to the daughters of Kekrops of Athens in a sealed casket. When they opened the casket, the sight of the anguipedic (serpent-footed) Erichthonios drove the women to madness, and they hurled themselves off the Acropolis. Erichthonios was then left to found a new dynasty of the early kings of Athens. Although here the child is shown fully human, this rare Kyzikene stater is undoubtedly a representation of the beginning of this tale.