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Classical Numismatic Group > Electronic Auction 516Auction date: 18 May 2022
Lot number: 393

Lot description:


CARIA, Halicarnassus. Trajan. AD 98-117. Æ (24mm, 7.01 g, 7h). Laureate head of Trajan right / Draped bust of Herodotus right. RPC III 2152 corr. (rev. bust described as head); otherwise unpublished. Glossy green patina, minor pitting and encrustations, cleaning scratches. Fine. Extremely rare, the third known, only one at CoinArchives.

Herodotus (circa 485-425) was born to a wealthy family in Halicarnassus, at the time under Persian control, although his family was exiled from the city while Herodotus was quite young and he appears to have only briefly returned to his hometown as an adult. He traveled widely and included accounts of his experiences in his famous The Histories, a description of the Graeco-Persian Wars. Cicero referred to Herodotus as "the father of history" due to his systematic investigation of historical subjects (although others have branded him "father of lies," as Herodotus seems to have subscribed to the idea of not letting facts get in the way of a good story!). Coins depicting Herodotus are quite rare.

Estimate: 750 USD