ARKADIA, Heraia
AE14. 2.28g, 14mm
MINTED: ARKADIA, Heraia, circa mid 3rd century BC
REF: HGC 5, 841 (R1); BCD Peloponnesos 1371.1
OBVERSE: Head of Athena right, wearing Corinthian helmet.
REVERSE: Large straight-sided H; ΘE to right.
 
Provenance:
Ex BCD Collection; ex Joseph J. Copeland Collection

Grade/Notes:
Fine. Slight roughness. 
Rare.
 
Historical Notes:
The city of Heraia, situated at the western edge of Arkadia near Elis, was the largest of eight or so settlements established along the River Alpheios. Heraia was the home of Damaretos, Arkadia's most famous athlete, who was the first winner in an Olympic race introduced in the 65th Olympiad (520 BC) where the competitors had to run wearing full armour and carrying shields. The Greek traveller Pausanias wrote in the 2nd century AD that Heraia had two temples dedicated to Dionysos and one to Pan, though another to Hera was by that time in ruins.