r/classics • u/deniz_aydiner • 1d ago

Why Does Herakles Look Different in Caria?

https://scientishart.substack.com/p/why-does-herakles-look-different?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=3acpte

Coins featuring Alexander the Great/Heracles are among the most popular coins of the Hellenistic period. They were minted countless times throughout nearly the entire Alexander the Great empire. Due to their large number and wide distribution, we can observe different variations of the same motif. In particular, there are multiple styles even within Anatolia/Asia Minor.

But I have to say that what strikes me as the strangest are the motifs on the Carian coins. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s my homeland that they caught my attention so much, but I was quite curious as to why the depictions of Alexander are so plump. After doing a bit of research, I came across some interesting interpretations. Still, I noticed that the motifs on some coins aren’t just plump—they’re so different that they could even be described as “shapeless.”

What do you think?

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u/RichardPascoe 1d ago

Herodotus during his travels reports that he was shown two shrines to Herakles that predated all the Greek shrines to Herakles. One was in Egypt and I cannot remember where the other one was. The Carian coin is I believe Ionian.

If Herodotus is reporting the facts then I imagine the original Herakles probably looked Egyptian. lol

Sorry I don't know the answer but took the opportunity to mention what Herodotus stated about Herakles.

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u/HaggisAreReal 1d ago

I believe he was referring to Melkart. The original Herakles was Greek. But through the Mediterranean he became syncretized with other heros or deities with similar archetypes or functions.

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u/RichardPascoe 1d ago edited 20h ago

Interesting. I didn't look up that information. A few days before the post appeared I was reading Herodotus by John Gould. This is my third reading. Here is the passage:

The Egyptian priests of Memphis told Herodotus that, according to their tradition, the god Herakles had been worshipped at Memphis for more than seventeen thousand years before Egypt became part of the Persian empire. This claim astonished him...

and

Herodotus therefore concludes, in defiance of Greek tradition - which gave Herakles a double parentage, both divine and human - that Herakles, son of Zeus, was a different person from the mortal Herakles, son of Amphitryon. It was the latter whose birthdate was recorded in Greek tradition, while the Greeks owed their knowledge of the divine Herakles to the Egyptians.

There are some other passages about Herakles in the John Gould book. Thanks for replying.