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Source Description
This very small electrum coin shows the Lydian queen Omphale on the obverse. She can be distinguished from Herakles, whose lion-skin she wears, by her earring. Also visible, over her shoulder, is the hero’s club, while beneath her swims a small seal—<em>phôkê</em> in Greek, a punning reference to Phokaia, where the coin was made. The reverse features a much simpler design, a quartered incuse square.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
97346
label
Hecte: Head of Omphale (obverse); Incuse Square (reverse)
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
97346
contentType
object
title
Hecte: Head of Omphale (obverse); Incuse Square (reverse)
description
This very small electrum coin shows the Lydian queen Omphale on the obverse. She can be distinguished from Herakles, whose lion-skin she wears, by her earring. Also visible, over her shoulder, is the hero’s club, while beneath her swims a small seal—<em>phôkê</em> in Greek, a punning reference to Phokaia, where the coin was made. The reverse features a much simpler design, a quartered incuse square.
date
387–326 BCE
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79481559
genreSpecific
Coins
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diameter: 0.9 cm (3/8 in.)
cul
Greek, minted at Phokaia (Ionia)
accession
1916.973
Source extras
tec
electrum (gold-silver alloy)
tombstone
Hecte: Head of Omphale (obverse); Incuse Square (reverse), 387–326 BCE. Greek, minted at Phokaia (Ionia). Electrum (gold-silver alloy); diameter: 0.9 cm (3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of J. H. Wade, 1916.973
collection
GR - Greek
didYouKnow
The Lydian queen Omphale wears the lion skin of Herakles, whom she enslaved.
creditline
Gift of J. H. Wade
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:14:49.411000
sourceId
97346
dept
Greek and Roman Art
coll
GR - Greek
med
electrum (gold-silver alloy)
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
f3a8afe75ad09651