Alcaeus...Babykles! Herakles other first labor

[Ryro]

Being the result of your dad stepping out on your step mom to sleep with one of the finest women across the lands, wasn't an ideal situation for Alcaeus. Later named Herakles (meaning something like, to the glory of Hera, or in honor of Hera), no doubt to suck up to the merciless step mother.

By disguising himself as Alcmene's hubby, King Amphitryon, Zeus laid the seed that would later save all of Mount Olympus!

Hera, clearly not getting the joke, sent twin snakes to kill baby Alcaeus! The only problem being that when Kingy and Queen Alcmene found the boys and Hera's snakes, she found the son of her husband cowering in the corner whilst Alcaeus was gleefully playing with the corpses of the snakes that he'd already strangled:

Italy, Calabria, Tarentum. c. 280-228 BC. AR Diobol (12 mm, 0,8 g). Helmeted head of Athena left, helmet decorated with Skylla. R/ The Herakliskos Drakonopnigon; monogram to lower left, thunderbolt in exergue. Vlasto 1455; cf. HN Italy 1068.

And let's not forget, many years, many blind rages and many labors later, during the Gigantomachia:

(Athena doing her part, killing serpent legged conservatives)

(Athena battles the Gigante Alcyoneus in a scene from the Gigantomachia (War of the Giants). The giant is winged with serpentine lower legs.)

When Zeus's thunderbolts

couldn't do the job it was Herakles that stood in between the giants taking Mount Olympus. And stranger still, though not to the Greeks, the attempted rape of Hera!

"Porphyrion rushed against Herakles and also Hera. Zeus instilled him with a passion for Hera, and when he tore her gown and wanted to rape her, she called for help, whereat Zeus hit him with a thunderbolt and Herakles slew him with an arrow." - Apollodorus, The Library 1.36

Gigantomachia (War of the Giants). In this scene the lust-filled Porphyrion seizes the goddess Hera, ripping her dress. The goddess' spear is cast awry and her Amazon-crescent shield seems to slip from her fingers. Porphyrion, draped in a panther skin and holding a torch, turns to face Zeus (above, not shown). The god aims his lightning bolt at the giant. To the left Heracles also comes to the rescue, aiming an arrow at the giant."

 

 

Let's see those GigGigantomachia, snake strangling, Calabria, Tarentum coins and all things Herkulian!

Edited February 17, 2023 by Ryro

[JayAg47]

Here's another baby god fighting a snake!

[Ryro]

On 2/16/2023 at 8:11 PM, JayAg47 said:

Here's another baby god fighting a snake!

Thanks so much for responding.

Rad coin! I wonder if the story of this eastern god was inspired by those of Herakles??

[JayAg47]

8 hours ago, Ryro said:

Thanks so much for responding.

Rad coin! I wonder if the story of this eastern god was inspired by those of Herakles??

There's definitely a relation between Roman/Greek pantheon and ancient Hinduism (I mention ancient Hinduism because the modern Hindu religion was only organised in the last 200 years by the British, while Siva, Vishnu were worshipped as the main deities 1000s of years ago, they were still worshipped as a subset, but were subsumed by the local worship of other deities, however the main gods were Indra who was not only the god of thunder and heaven but also the leader of all planets and other heavenly deities (sounds familiar - Zeus/Jupiter), the other main gods were Agni (fire), Kartikeya (god of war, who is also attributed to the planet Mars), Kottravai- Minerva (goddess of war), and so on. 

In regards to responding, not to throw any shade on Numisforums, but on Cointalk I've always experienced a much faster response rate and even more responses on certain topics that I also post in here. Maybe because it's a new forum so not much traffic or since we have to select particular subcategories the posts are hidden for most people? whereas over on CT everyone can see new posts on the side bar!

Edited February 18, 2023 by JayAg47

[Deinomenid]

20 minutes ago, JayAg47 said:

or since we have to select particular subcategories the posts are hidden for most people? whereas over on CT everyone can see new posts on the side bar!

This must be something to do with it. I miss all sorts of stuff  unless I'm  diligent or hit "recent activity". May well be user error!

[ominus1]

..seems i didn't see this either till just now...idk...kool coin & story Ryro! 🙂

[Roman Collector]

What a far-out story from mythology and some cool coins, as usual, @Ryro!

I have one of those gigantomachy coins!

Volusian, AD 251-253.
Roman provincial Æ 29.1 mm, 11.2 g, 6 h.
Cilicia, Seleucia ad Calycadnum, AD 251-253.
Obv: ΑV Κ ΓΑ ΟVΙΒ ϹΑΒΙΝ ΓΑΛΛΟϹ, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust, right.
Rev: ϹЄΛЄΥΚЄ-ΩΝ ΤΩ Π|ΡΟϹ Κ-ΑΛV|ΔΝ, Athena advancing right, brandishing spear, holding shield, attacking serpent-footed giant hurling stone with right hand.
Refs: RPC IX, 1336; BMC 21.141,54; SNG von Aulock 5851; RG 4480 (SNG France 1055); SNG Levante 780.
Notes: Double die match to SNG Levante 780 and RG 4480=SNG France 1055 (BnF); obverse die match to BMC 54.

And I have a Hercules too!

Gordian III AD 238-244
Roman AR Antoninianus; 5.52 g, 23.2 mm, 2:00
Obv: IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate and draped bust, right
Rev: VIRTVTI AVGVSTI, Hercules standing right, right hand on hip, left holding lion's skin and resting on club set on rock
Refs: RIC 95; Cohen 404; RCV 8670; Hunter 71.