Man-headed bull
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In ancient Sicilian coinage, the man-headed bull often merged the traditional bull’s strength with the human head, creating a powerful hybrid figure. This image was typically associated with the island’s Greek heritage and the importance of animal symbolism in Mediterranean cultures. The bull, with its association to vitality, masculinity, and agricultural fertility, was often a symbol of dominance and sacrifice. The addition of a human head emphasized the connection between the human and divine, suggesting that the city or ruler who issued the coin held not just physical power but also possessed a certain divine legitimacy. The bull’s head may represent the deity Zeus, who was linked to bulls in many cultures, while the human element could emphasize the ruler’s special connection to this god or their divine right to rule.
 Campania, Compulteria Circa 265-240 BCE Æ 4.76g, 18mm, 9h Laureate head of Apollo to left; ethnic before / Man-headed bull standing to right, crowned by Nike flying above; ethnic in exergue. Cf. HN Italy 437; cf. HGC 1, 409. Ex Mike Ballerini Collection |
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