TYPE Greek Imperial, Alexandria (Egypt), under Antoninus Pius (138-61 AD), bronze AE22 DESCRIPTION . Obv: Laur. bust of emperor to r., partial Greek legend Rev: Harpokrates as a child, finger to mouth, cornucopiae on back, Greek date '13' REFERENCE: BMC 1128 GRADING: F / F+, rough brown patina, some porosity, scarce ORDER INFO: R2840, $48 Scarce and interesting reverse scene, celebrating the originally Egyptian deity, Harpokrates (Harpocrates). Adopted later by both the Greeks and Romans, Horus the child (or Harpa-khruti - from which derives his Hellenized name form), was a form of Horus, Osiris' child and sun-god. As such he was supposed to combat the powers of darkness, and is occasionally identified with Apollo. Egyptian iconography emphasized his youth and childlike qualities with a finger on his mouth; this was apparently misunderstood later by the Greco-Roman tradition, attributing to this gesture symbolic silence, which in turn made Harpokrates popular with some mystic movements in philosophy.