Ancient Greek Hemidrachm - Helios, 14Kt Ring
- Description
Ancient Greek Silver Hemidrachm Coin Ring Circa 350 - 300 B.C. Obverse: Head of Helios facing slightly right. Reverse: Rose in left field, Artemis running right. Ruler: Greek City States; Mint: Rhodes; Country: Carian Islands. Bezel-set in 14Kt Yellow Gold with a .01ct diamond in a bright-cut starburst on either side of the ring shank. Certificate of Authenticity
Dimensions, 19mm top. Ring size 9 can be altered.
The city of Rhodes was built in 408 BC. According to mythology, Helios had fallen in love with the nymph Rhodes, and when he shone his light on her, she transformed into the island. The name means "rose" and the island is known since antiquity as a flowery place.
Helios is primarily known as the ancient Greek personification of the sun. In Greek mythology, he was a Titan, son of Hyperion and Theia, and brother to Selene (the moon) and Eos (the dawn) Helios was depicted as a handsome god, often crowned with a radiant aureole, who drove a chariot pulled by fiery horses across the sky each day. Helios once allowed his son, Phaeton to guide his chariot across the sky. Phaethon set off but was entirely unable to control the horses of the sun chariot, which came too near to the earth and began to scorch it.
The reverence of the sun as a god came from the east to Greece. Helios was worshipped in various places, but especially on Rhodes, where each year, gymnastic games were held in his honor. On other places where he was worshipped there were herds dedicated to him. People sacrificed oxen, rams, goats, and white horses to Helios.
During the Middle Ages, the coins took on a different meaning. It was thought that the head of Helios was the head of Christ, and the rose was the Rose of Sharon, and that these coins were the thirty pieces of silver paid to Judas.
SKU:
H-ID11151_C-AS063
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