Participation in the exhibition “Figures Loved and Idealised – Illustrating Poems by C.P. Cavafy”

The Alpha Bank Numismatic Collection loaned 3 ancient coins to the exhibition “Figures Loved and Idealised – Illustrating Poems by C.P. Cavafy”:

• Daric – gold stater of the Achaemenid Empire, 5th century BCE. The obverse depicts and archer king.
• Silver tetradrachm of Pyrrhus, Epirus, 295-272 BCE. The obverse depicts the head of Dodonian Zeus.
• Silver tetradrachm of Cleomenes III, ca 227 BCE. The obverse depicts the head of king Cleomenes.

The title of the exhibition is an allusion to Cavafy’s poem “Voices” and the line reading “voices loved and idealised”.

A selection of poems on mythological and historical subjects were illustrated for the exhibition. According to Cavafy scholars, such poems make for one third of the Alexandrian poet’s works.