26/09/2026
Not your typical 6th Century BC Etruscan terracotta amphora. This piece, dated to 525 BC, depicts in detail Heracles performing one of his labours, which was battling the monstrous Hydra, a behemoth multi-headed water snake-like creature.
This piece is part of a $3+ billion USD collection and has been studied, carbon-dated, and had papers written about it. To the best of our knowledge, the largest collection of world history in one location (Getty) is all confirmed genuine.
He bought this massive collection to avoid income tax from oil businesses, and the pieces were put in a trust, making them tax-free unless sold. It looks brand new because Getty had professionals touring the world looking for the finest examples of anything of historical value.
The prices he paid were of no concern to the billionaire, so even museums were known to sell pieces to him to increase their display items due to his willingness to pay any reasonable, yet overvalued, price. Call him what you want, but if you have seen the collection, it is simply jaw-dropping.
Image: M. Warren.
Dan & Lily's Roman History
