Roman Provincial
Cilicia, Seleucia ad Calycadnum, Trebonianus Gallus (251-253), AE29
Obverse: radiate bust right
AVK ΓA OYIB CABIN ΓAΛΛOC
Reverse: Athena advancing right, holding shield and brandishing spear at snake-legged giant advancing left and hurling stones
CEΛEYKEΩN TΩ ΠΡΟC KAΛYΔΝ
Diameter 29 mm, weight 8.89 g
The reverse of this coin recalls the second major conflict of Zeus’ rise to power. After he had defeated the Titans in the Titantomachy and apportioned their former relatives to his fellow Olympians, he was compelled to resolve a conflict with the Giants, offspring of Gaia and Cronus. Known as the Gigantomachy, these chthonic half-man, half-serpent creatures attempted to wrestle power from the Olympians by casting them out of Olympus. To accomplish this, the Giants attempted to reach Olympus by heaping up one mountain range on top of the other. From above, Zeus and the other Olympians defended themselves by hurling their weapons. In the end, however, it was the assistance of Hercules that won the day. With the final defeat of the Giants, the rule of Zeus was no longer challenged.
