PONTOS, Amisos
85-65 BCE
AE28, 18.5 gm
Obv: helmeted head of Athena right
Rev: AMIΣOY; Perseus standing facing, holding harpa and head of Medusa, Medusa's body at his feet
Ref: SNG Stancomb 683 var. (no monogram to right). [I cannot verify this reference and suspect it may not be correct because there are monograms both left and right. Looks like Sear 3637 fits though]
This coin depicts two figures from the legend of Medusa, who was once a beautiful young maiden who dared to challenge Athena's beauty.
As punishment for her impiety, Medusa's hair was turned into hissing serpents and condemned to turn every living thing which gazed upon her to turn to stone.
Perseus, son of Zeus and the mortal Danae, was given the task of slaying this monster. He was aided, in part, by Athena who gave her shield to him for the task.
In the context of the period which this coin is from, Perseus and Medusa would be representations of Mithradates VI and Rome, respectively.
-from CNG archives