Heracles, Alexander, and Hellenistic Coinage

The portrait of a young Heracles wearing the lion skin was a familiar sight on Hellenistic coins. Though this coin type is often interpreted as serving legitimizing purposes by connecting Hellenistic rulers to Alexander the Great, who popularized this type, such explanations are problematic for understanding the portrait’s appearance in places like Sparta and Carthage, who had less to gain from evoking the memory of Alexander. This article argues for the symbolic and economic value of Heracles’ portrait in its own right. The portrait’s popularity can be attributed to the hero’s own associations with royal authority, his widespread appeal, and his ability to blend with the regional and local traditions of Hellenistic subjects within and outside of the Greek world. Further, this particular representation of Heracles was especially popular among rulers striving to assert their claims to the throne, including usurpers, because of its familiarity. The coin type lent an element of political and economic reliability to the ruler and facilitated the hiring of mercenary forces, who had long been accustomed to receiving pay in coins of this type.