CORINTHIA. Corinth. Pseudo-autonomous issue. 'As' (Bronze, 23 mm, 7.23 g, 1 h), time of Hadrian, 117-138. Head of Aphrodite (?) to right, her hair bound in the back and wearing pearl necklace. Rev. COL L IVL COR The tomb of Lais of Corinth: Capital of a Doric column; atop, a lioness standing to right on a prostrate ram. NCP pl. E, LXXV. RPC III 248. Rare and in exceptional condition, arguably the finest known example. Somewhat smoothed, otherwise, extremely fine.




The reverse of this coin shows the tomb of Lais of Corinth (late 5th-early 4th century BC), who was a famous hetaira, or courtesan and lover, of both Aristippos and Eubotas of Kyrene, and perhaps of the famous philosopher Diogenes the Cynic. When the Greek geographer Pausanias visited Corinth in the 2nd century AD, a few decades after our coin was struck, the tomb was still standing, and the Corinthians were reportedly still proud of her legendary beauty.