Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 106 9-10 May 2018
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Demonikos, 388 – 387. Siglos circa 388-387 BC, AR 10.91 g. Athena standing facing, head l., holding spear in r. hand and shield in l.; in l. field, O (Aramaic ayin). Rev. Dmnks Mlk Lpsh in Aramaic characters Heracles advancing r., wearing lion's skin and holding club in r. hand and bow in l.; in r. field, ankh. Traité II 1221, pl. CXXXI, 12 (Citium). BMC p. xxxix, a and pl. XIX, 9 (Citium). Tziambazis 32 (Citium). ACGC 1095. SNG Copenhagen 23.
Of the highest rarity, by far the finest specimen of only four or five known. A very
interesting and finely detailed reverse die and with a lovely old cabinet tone,
weakly struck on obverse, otherwise good very fine / extremely fine
Ex Leu sale 13, 1975, 294.
Greek tradition held that the city of Lapethos was founded by Lakonians under the leadership of a certain Praxander, but it actually seems to have been a Phoenician settlement since the eleventh century B.C. The history of the city and its kings in the Classical period is poorly known, but local coinage, which begins the name of King Sidqmelek in ca. 450-435 B.C., provides some names. Demonikos was long believed to have been a Greek king imposed on Phoenician-dominated Citium by Evagoras I of Salamis and the Athenian general, Chabrias, in 388/7 B.C., but recent scholarship now makes him a member of the dynasty of Lapethos. Demonikos has the notable distinction of being the first foreign ruler to whom the Athenian rhetorician Isokrates addressed an oration. In this oration Isokrates advises the young king on the importance of education in becoming a just and good ruler. The types and inscription of this stater give some insight into the reign of Demonikos at Lapethos. The standing figure of Athena seems to advertise his legitimacy in the royal dynasty of the city. The head of the goddess occurs on coins of Lapethos already around 480 B.C. At the same time this type, combined with the king's Greek name, seems to indicate that his regime was propped up by Chabrias and the Athenians. It has been pointed out that the figure of Athena replicates the Pheidian cult statue of Athena in the Parthenon. The Herakles reverse, however, alludes to the Phoenician, and specifically Tyrian, origin of the dynasty of Lapethos. As at Citium, the Herakles type is intended to represent the Tyrian god, Melqart. The Phoenician background of the city and its kings is further underlined by the use of a Phoenician inscription despite the very Greek quality of Demonikos' name.
Of the highest rarity, by far the finest specimen of only four or five known. A very
interesting and finely detailed reverse die and with a lovely old cabinet tone,
weakly struck on obverse, otherwise good very fine / extremely fine
Ex Leu sale 13, 1975, 294.
Greek tradition held that the city of Lapethos was founded by Lakonians under the leadership of a certain Praxander, but it actually seems to have been a Phoenician settlement since the eleventh century B.C. The history of the city and its kings in the Classical period is poorly known, but local coinage, which begins the name of King Sidqmelek in ca. 450-435 B.C., provides some names. Demonikos was long believed to have been a Greek king imposed on Phoenician-dominated Citium by Evagoras I of Salamis and the Athenian general, Chabrias, in 388/7 B.C., but recent scholarship now makes him a member of the dynasty of Lapethos. Demonikos has the notable distinction of being the first foreign ruler to whom the Athenian rhetorician Isokrates addressed an oration. In this oration Isokrates advises the young king on the importance of education in becoming a just and good ruler. The types and inscription of this stater give some insight into the reign of Demonikos at Lapethos. The standing figure of Athena seems to advertise his legitimacy in the royal dynasty of the city. The head of the goddess occurs on coins of Lapethos already around 480 B.C. At the same time this type, combined with the king's Greek name, seems to indicate that his regime was propped up by Chabrias and the Athenians. It has been pointed out that the figure of Athena replicates the Pheidian cult statue of Athena in the Parthenon. The Herakles reverse, however, alludes to the Phoenician, and specifically Tyrian, origin of the dynasty of Lapethos. As at Citium, the Herakles type is intended to represent the Tyrian god, Melqart. The Phoenician background of the city and its kings is further underlined by the use of a Phoenician inscription despite the very Greek quality of Demonikos' name.