IONIA. Phokaia. Circa 387-326 BC. Hekte (Electrum, 11 mm, 2.54 g). Head of Omphale to left, wearing lion skin headdress of Herakles; club behind neck; below, small seal to left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. Bodenstedt 107. SNG Copenhagen 1029. SNG von Aulock 2133. A beautifully toned and very well centered piece. Very minor die breaks on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.



Omphale was a Lydian princess who married Tmolos, the King of Lydia, and inherited his throne upon his death. As punishment for the inadvertent murder of Iphitos, one of the Argonauts, Herakles was made a slave to Omphale. In an embarrassing turn of events, he served her in a female role, even wearing her clothes while she wore his lion's skin and carried his club, as depicted on this coin. Eventually, they married and had a son, Agelaus, from whom King Croesus of Lydia is descended.