Tegea in Arkadia, Peloponessos, 250 BC., Dichalkon, BMC 15.
Tegea in Arkadia, Peloponessos, ca. 250 BC.,
Dichalkon / Æ18 (ø 16-18 mm / 2,58 g), brass, axes irregular alignment ↑↙ (ca. 240°),
Obv.: head of Athena right, in crested Corinthian helmet.
Rev.: TEΓEA , the infant Telephos kneeling left, suckled by doe standing right with her head turned back towards the boy; [M in field to left, owl to right ?].
BMC 10. 15 ; SNG Cop. 304 ; Weber coll. 4350 ; Sear GC 2747 .
Telephos, son of Heracles/Hercules and Auge/Augue:
In Greek mythology, Telephus or Telephos (Ancient Greek: Τήλεφος, "far-shining") was the son of Heracles and Auge, daughter of king Aleus of Tegea; and the father of Eurypylus.
Aleus, king in Tegea and father of Auge, had been told by an oracle that he would be overthrown by his grandson. So, according to varying myths, he forced Auge to become a virginal priestess of Athena Alea, in which condition she was violated by Heracles. Although the infant Telephus was hidden in the temple, his cries revealed his presence and Aleus ordered the child exposed on Mt. Parthenion, the "mountain of the Virgin [Athena]". The child was suckled by a deer through the agency of Heracles. Alternatively, ...
He was intended to be king of Tegea, but instead became the king of Mysia in Asia Minor. He was wounded by the Achaeans when they were coming to sack Troy and bring back Helen to Sparta.