Obverse: Diademed and draped bust of Diana facing right, with bow and quiver over shoulder, GETA before, III VIR behind.

Reverse: Calydonian boar right, attacked by hound and pierced in shoulder by spear.

RRC: 407/2. Sear: 346. CRR: 903. RSC: Hosidia 1. [Rome, 68 BC].

Diameter: 17 mm. Weight: 3.3 g.

A iconic silver denarius struck by the moneyer C. Hosidius C.f. Geta in 68 BC. The obverse depicts Diana goddess of the hunt. The mythological reverse type depicts the hunting of the Calydonian Boar, a monstrous creature that terrorised Aetolia. Answering the call to kill the beast were some of Greece's most famous heroes, including Theseus, the Argonauts Meleager, Laertes (father of Odysseus) and Iphitus, and several sons of Greek kings and gods. During the hunt, it was Atalanta the huntress who succeeded in first wounding the boar, and Meleager, who was smitten by her, offered her its skin after it was slain. Other heroes disputed Atalanta's right to it, and in the violent quarrel that followed, many of the heroes turned on each other and were killed, including Meleager. A beautiful example of this class ancient coin.