CARIA. Iasos. Circa 200-150 BC. Dichalkon (?) (Bronze, 18 mm, 3.62 g, 12 h), Ktesias, magistrate. Laureate head of Apollo to right. Rev. IA / KTHΣΙΑΣ The youth Hermias swimming to right, his left arm put around a dolphin swimming to right; all within wreath. Ashton, Iasos, p. 62, 1-2. HN online 1691. Struck from somewhat worn dies and with minor deposits, otherwise, very fine.


The figure swimming with a dolphin on the Hellenistic coins from Iasos is Hermias, a local youth who is said to have tamed a dolphin and ridden it every day after training in the gymnasion. One sad day, however, Hermias drowned (in another version of the story, his heart was pierced by the dolphin's fin by accident) and the dolphin carried his body back to the shore, where the majestic animal died next to his beloved human friend out of grief.