Hellenistic Medallion of Dionysos Seated – and 50 similar items

Popis produktu: This remarkable piece is a modern reissue inspired by the Greco-Bactrian coinage of Euthydemos I, who ruled around the mid-3rd century BCE and played a crucial role in maintaining Hellenistic influence in Central Asia. The obverse features a finely modeled portrait of a mature male ruler, adorned with a laurel wreath?an unmistakable nod to the visual conventions of royal authority established by the successors of Alexander the Great. The realism in the facial expression conveys both age and dignity, reinforcing the monarch's legitimacy through artistic gravitas.The reverse portrays Dionysos, the god of wine and divine ecstasy, seated on a rock, holding a thyrsus in one hand?a pine-cone-tipped staff associated with fertility and ritual intoxication. The composition captures the fusion of Greek mythology with the iconography adopted by Hellenistic rulers far from the Aegean world. The accompanying Greek legend names the king, emphasizing the ruler's claim to cultural continuity with classical Greece while governing a diverse, eastern realm. This medallion stands as a sophisticated homage to the numismatic artistry and geopolitical ambition of Hellenistic Central Asia. Foto: