Theseus' Numismatic Mythology

Theseus, son of Aigeus, the king of Athens was known for a number of heroic feats on the model of Herakles. The most famous of these feats was his slaying of the Minotaur. Because the city was a tributary subject to Minos, the king of Crete, it was forced each year to send seven youths and seven maidens to the Cretan capital of Knossos to feed the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull who lived in the Labyrinth. To liberate Athens from this humiliating tribute, Theseus conceived of a plan with his father to join the next shipment of youths. Once in Crete, he would slay the Minotaur, free his fellow victims, and return home. If successful, his returning ship would carry a white sail; if not, the sail would remain the black. With the help of Minos' daughter, Ariadne (who loved him), Theseus entered the Labyrinth and slew the Minotaur. On his return voyage Theseus forgot to replace the black sail, and Aigeus, believing that his son had failed, hurled himself in despair into the sea (know called the Aegean).

There are a number of coins from ancient Greece that celebrate this rich mythological tradition.

Mycenaeans jumping bulls on Knossos

Theseus Slays the Minotaur

ATTICA, Athens. Circa AD 145-175. Drachm 4.84g Athena and Theseus slaying Minotaur. Kroll 276, SNG Copenhagen 341. (image courtesy of CNG/Triton XI, 169; ex. Bill Hearn collection)

BITHYNIA, Nikomedia Severus Alexander 222-235 A.D. 26mm. Theseus attacking the Minotaur. SNG vAulock 784. (image courtesy of CNG)

ACHAEA, Attica. ca. 250 B.C. 19mm Theseus attacking Minotaur with club. RPC collection

Other Heroic acts of Theseus

ATTICA, Athens. CA 125-145 Drachm 10.41g theseus driving Marathonian Bull. Kroll 180, SNG Copenhagen 321. CNG 76, 495 (image courtesy of CNG)

ATTICA, Athens. Antonine Era. Circa AD 120-175. Æ (16mm, 3.70 g, 7h). Bust of Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet, slight drapery on left shoulder / Theseus advancing left, cloak draped over left arm, holding club in his raised right hand. Kroll 209; RPC IV.1 Online 8243; Svoronos, Monnaies pl. 96, 22 (same obv. die, rev. die unlisted); BMC 769 (Author's collection)

ATTICA, Athens. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Circa AD 264-267. Æ (22mm, 6.22 g, 6h). Theseus standing right, raising rock beneath which are a sword and sandles of Aegeus. Kroll, Agora 371; Svoronos pl. 95, 35. (ex. Bill Hearn collection)

ARGOLIS, Troizen. Commodus 177-192 A.D. 22mm 8.85g Theseus raising the rock at Troizen. BCD Peloponnesos 1341. (image courtesy of CNG)

ATTICA, Athens. Ca. 125-175 A.D. 12mm 1.97g Theseus and Bucranium. Kroll 240, SNG Copenhagen 378. (image courtesy of CNG 195, 57; ex. Bill Hearn collection)

Ariadne

LESBOS, Mytilene. Circa 412-378 BC. EL Hekte (10mm, 2.56 g, 6h). Head of Ariadne left, hair in sakkos decorated with three grape bunches. Bodenstedt Em. 78; HGC 6, 100 (image courtesy of CNG; ex. Bill Hearn collection)

BITHYNIA, Nicaea. Julia Domna, Augusta, 193-217. Æ 26 mm, 11.83g, 6h Obv: ΙΟΥΛΙΑ ΑΥ ΓΟΥC TA, Draped bust of Julia Domna to right Rev: ΝΙΚA-ЄΩΝ Dionysos and Ariadne driving biga of male and female centaurs, Eros standing front, head, satyr striding right, holding lagobolon in his left hand and extending his right backwards. Ref: RG 372; Leu 19 lot#2087 (Author's collection)

CILICIA, Tarsus. Maximinus I. AD 235-238. Æ (36mm, 22.77 g, 6h). Dionysus and Ariadne in a cart drawn by two centaurs right, one of whom holds a lyre. SNG Levante 1104 (this coin); SNG France 1610 (image courtesy of CNG; ex. Bill Hearn collection)

MYSIA, Pergamum. Septimius Severus and Julia Domna 193-211 A.D. 44mm, 44.06g Ariadne forlorn in the grotto on Naxos. SNG France 2210. (image courtesy of CNG 69, 986)

Minoan children boxing

The Minotaur and the Labyrinth

CRETE, Knossos AR Hemidrachm 420-380 B.C. Minotaur. (image courtesy of Fritz Rudolph Kunker)

CRETE, Knossos. AR Didrachm, c. 440 BC. Minotaur running l.; Labyrinth. (image courtesy of Numismatic Lanz)

CRETE. Knossos c.440 B.C. AR Stater. Minotaur running r.; Labyrinth (image courtesy of NY Sale 27)

CRETE, Knossos. 330-300 B.C. AR Stater. Demeter and labyrinth. Svoronos 71 (image courtesy of Frank Kovacs)

CRETE - KNOSSOS, 330-300 B.C. AR Stater 10.92 g. (image courtesy of Tradart)

CRETE. Knossus. AR Drachm ca. 330-300 B.C. Head of Hera; labyrinth. (image courtesy of Aurea Numis)

CRETE. Knossos (c.350-220 B.C.), AR Drachm, Zeus on Labyrinth (image courtesy of NY Sale 27)

CRETE, Knossos. AR Drachm. 200 B.C. Head of Minos and Labyrinth. (image courtesy of Fritz Rudolph Kunker)

CRETE, Knossos AR Stater 360-330 B.C. labyrinth.

CRETE, Knossos. ca. 220 B.C. 18mm Alliance between Knossos and Gortyna. Europa and Labyrinth. SNG Copenhagen 378. (image courtesy of CNG/Triton V, 397)

CRETE. Knossos. 2nd century BC. AE 14. Labyrinth. SNG Copenhagen 385

CRETE, Knossos. Augustus 27 BC-14 AD. 20mm 6.26g Labyrinth. RPC 977 (Author's collection)

King Minos

CRETE, Knossos. AR Stater 360-330 B.C. 10.55g Head of Ariadne or Persephone and possibly King Minos seated. (image courtesy of Fritz Rudolph Kunker 136, 159)

CRETE, Gortyna. Circa 98-94 BC. AR Drachm (21mm, 3.96 g, 12h). Minos or Zeus right, Apollo seated left on rock, holding bow and arrow. Svoronos, Numismatique 173; SNG Copenhagen 449 var. (image courtesy of CNG; ex. Garth Drewry collection

Talos the Giant

Talos was said to have been a man of brass given to King Minos by Zeus or Hephaistos. He guarded the island of Crete by walking around the island three times each day. When the Argonauts arrived off Crete, Talos attempted to keep them from landing by throwing stones at them.

CRETE, Phaistos. Ca. 280 B.C. AR Stater 11.21g Talos advancing left, head facing, about to hurl stone. (Heritage World Coin, Long Beach Signature Sale 441, 50066)

CRETE, Phaistos 350-300 BC AE 17 Winged Talos hurling a stone; hound sniffing the ground