ASIA MINOR. Uncertain. 2nd-3rd centuries. Tessera (Lead, 19 mm, 3.34 g). Head of Serapis to right. Rev. ...OV KΛM.. Boar running right, pierced by spear. Cf. Leu Web Auction 16 (May 2021), 3125 and 3175 (forobverse) and Gülbay/Kireç 131A=132 (for reverse). Rough surfaces, otherwise, nearly very fine.


It is tempting to interpret the running boar on this tessera as an allusion to the founding legend of the city of Ephesos. Its legendary founder Androklos was instructed by the oracle of Delphi to found his city at a place marked by a fish and a boar. One day, when Androklos and his hunting companions were grilling fish, one of them popped out of the fire, setting the bushes on fire. This startled a boar, who tried to flee, but was killed by Androklos, thus fulfilling the prophecy. The scene of Androklos fighting the boar appears on a tessera type (Gülbay & Kireç 130, Boersema/Dalzell, Vossen col. 29 = Leu Numismatik Web Auction 3, lot 1247). Another tessera shows a boar running to the right, with a spear in his back (Gülbay & Kireç 131a, 132) and finally, Vossen col. 59 has a boar's head facing to the right