weight 15,78gr. ; silver Ø 27,5mm.

obv. Head of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet
rev. Nikè advancing left, holding scepter twined with diadem,  
BAΣI - ΛEΩΣ in upper field, AMYN - TOY in lower field

Ancient Galatia was an area in the highlands of central Anatolia in modern Turkey. Galatia was named for the immigrant Gauls from Thrace , who settled here and became its ruling caste in the 3rd century BC, following the Gallic invasion of the Balkans in 279 BC. It has been called the ″Gallia″ of the East, Roman writers calling its inhabitants Galli. Amyntas, Tetrarch of the Trocmi, was a King of Galatia and of several adjacent countries between 36 BC and 25 BC, mentioned by Strabo as contemporary with himself. He was the son of Brogitarus, king of Galatia, and Adobogiona, daughter of king Deiotarus Philoromaeus. Amyntas seems to have first possessed Lycaonia, where he maintained more than 300 flocks. To this he added the territory of Derbe by the murder of its prince, Antipater of Derbe, the friend of Cicero, and Isaura and Cappadocia by Roman favour. Originally he had been the king of Cappadocia Deiotarus secretary, and was made by Amyntas commander in chief of the Galatian auxiliaries sent to help Brutus and Cassius against the Triumvires, but deserted to Mark Anthony just before the battle of Philippi (42 BC). After the death of Deiotarus, he was made king of Cappadocia in 37 BC as a client ruler of Mark Anthony. Plutarch enumerates him among the adherents of Mark Antony at Actium and is mentioned as deserting to Octavian, just before the battle (31 BC).While pursuing his schemes of aggrandizement, and endeavoring to reduce the refractory highlanders around him, Amyntas made himself master of Homonada or Hoinona, and slew the prince of that place; but his death was avenged by his widow, and Amyntas fell a victim in 25 BC to an ambush which she laid for him. On his death Galatia became a Roman province.

BMC 5 ; SNG.Copenhagen 94 ; SNG.von Aulock 6104 ;
SNG.Paris 2344 ; RPC I, - (cf. 3501) ; Sear 5693 R
Very attractive historical coin of great style and with appealing patina. Rare.
xf-

weight 11,13gr. ; bronze Ø 20mm.

obv. Head of bearded Herakles right, club over shoulder, E ς behind
rev. Lion walking right, B above, AMYNTOY in exergue

Herakles was the son of Zeus and is the greatest of the Greek heroes in Greek mythology. Tricked into murdering his wife and children, he was instructed by Apollo to atone by performing the famous "Twelve Labors of Herakles" celebrated in literature and art. This reverse references his first labor, in which he appropriated the vicious Nemean Lion′s own skin for his own impenetrable armor.

BMC 12 ; SNG.Copenhagen 99 ; SNG.von Aulock 6108 ;
Weber collection 7765 ; McClean 9192var. ; RPC.3505 ;
SNG.France 3, 2377-2382 ; HGC 7, no.779
Dark patina. Good portrait. Scarce.
vf