★ A very rare hemiassarion from Ilium with Hektor on ★

TROAS. Ilium. Pseudo-autonomous issue. Hemiassarion (Copper, 15 mm, 2.07 g, 1 h), time of the Antonines, 138-192. ΙΛΙ-Є-ΩΝ Draped bust of Athena to right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet and aegis. Rev. ЄΚ-ΤΩΡ Hector, nude but for helmet, standing facing, head left, holding upright spear with his right hand and parazonium in his left. Bellinger pl. 9, T206 ( same dies ). RPC online 2486. SNG Copenhagen 374 ( same dies ). Very rare. A well struck example with an attractive dark patina. Very minor roughness, otherwise, about extremely fine.

This interesting small bronze shows us Hector, the strongest warrior of the Trojans. It boasts the importance of Ilium as the location of the most famous of all wars, but - since Hector had been a companion of Aeneas, who is shown on the reverse of coins from the same emission (RPC online 1577) - the issue also connects the city to its Roman overlords. Rome's history of supporting Ilium goes back to at least the Roman-Syrian War of 192-188 BC, when the Greek city warmly welcomed an expeditionary force under the Scipioni that had crossed the Dardanelles on its way to combat Antiochos III. The Trojans hurried to emphasize their common heritage with the Romans and eventually received great benefits after the Scipionic victory over the Seleukids at Magnesia in 190/189.