CORINTHIA. Corinth. Domitian, 81-96. Semis (Bronze, 15.5 mm, 4.51 g, 12 h). COL Head of Neptune to right, wearing taenia and with a trident over his left shoulder. Rev. COR Nude athlete walking right, holding a strigil in his right hand and a "club" resting on the ground with his left. Amandry An. L. 11. XXX. BCD, Corinth, 572 ( same dies ). RPC II 213.2 ( this coin ). Weber 3813. Clear. Some minor roughness, otherwise, very fine.

From the collection of Major Anthony F. Milavic, USMC (Ret.), acquired from F. Kovacs in June 2005, and previously from the BCD Collection, sold privately.

This coin was part of a series of anonymous semisses (or half assaria) that are all related to the Isthmian Games and were all struck during the reign of Domitian. Thus, one would expect that the reverse would be related to games, but what, exactly, does it portray? The nude male figure holds a strigil in his right hand (clearly visible on the piece in BCD, Corinth, but why should he be holding a club with his left - the way the RPC, and everyone else, says he is? What athletic event requires a club?