Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 106 9-10 May 2018
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Nikodamos, circa 460-450. Siglos circa 460-450 BC, AR 11.32 g. ba si le fo se ni ko da mo in Cypriot characters Ram lying r.; above, vase. Rev. Ram's head l.; above, corn of grain and below, ivy sprig. All within incuse square. Traité II –,. BMC –. Tziambazis –. Kunstfreund 169 (this coin). Masson-Amandry p. 33 and pl. II, 4-5 (this coin).
Apparently unique. Of lovely style and with a delightful old cabinet tone,
minor areas of weakness, otherwise good very fine
Ex M&M-Leu 1974, Kunstfreund, 169 and Giessener Münzhandlung Dieter Gorny 69, 1994, 425 sales. From the Gillet collection.
Salamis on Cyprus was reputedly founded by the Achaean hero, Teucer, who was unable to return home after the Trojan War because of his failure to avenge his brother Ajax. The historical city had been inhabited by a population reflecting Greek and Phoenician cultural influences since the eleventh century B.C., but by the sixth century B.C. the Greek element had become dominant. In the Classical period, the city was frequently in alliance with Athens in order to oppose the Persians and to expand Salaminian influence over the other cities of Cyprus. Nikodamas, the issuer of this stater, was a Greek king of Salamis in the decade before the expedition of an Athenian fleet under the general Kimon against the Persians on Cyprus in 450 B.C. Simultaneous battles fought on land and on the sea before the walls of Salamis resulted in victory for the Greeks. Unfortunately, what rôle Nikodamas may have played in these events, if any, are unknown. This unique and artistically attractive stater ultimately derives its recumbent ram from the coinage of Evelthon, the first king of Salamis to strike coins in the sixth century B.C. This reuse of this old type served to advertise Nikodamas as a legitimate king from the dynasty of Evelthon (other rare issues also include the name of Evelthon in the obverse legend) and followed the royal numismatic custom at Salamis. Nikodamas' recognised predecessors, as well as Evanthes, who has been variously considered a successor or predecessor of Nikodamas, all employed this dynastic ram obverse type. The ram's head of the reverse may have been a novelty introduced by Nikodamas, if he did not inherit this reverse type from Evanthes, who also used it. The detailed execution of the head invites comparison with the best of the ram's head rhyta (drinking horns) that were fashionable at Greek drinking parties at the time that Nikodamas and Evanthes produced their coinages.
Apparently unique. Of lovely style and with a delightful old cabinet tone,
minor areas of weakness, otherwise good very fine
Ex M&M-Leu 1974, Kunstfreund, 169 and Giessener Münzhandlung Dieter Gorny 69, 1994, 425 sales. From the Gillet collection.
Salamis on Cyprus was reputedly founded by the Achaean hero, Teucer, who was unable to return home after the Trojan War because of his failure to avenge his brother Ajax. The historical city had been inhabited by a population reflecting Greek and Phoenician cultural influences since the eleventh century B.C., but by the sixth century B.C. the Greek element had become dominant. In the Classical period, the city was frequently in alliance with Athens in order to oppose the Persians and to expand Salaminian influence over the other cities of Cyprus. Nikodamas, the issuer of this stater, was a Greek king of Salamis in the decade before the expedition of an Athenian fleet under the general Kimon against the Persians on Cyprus in 450 B.C. Simultaneous battles fought on land and on the sea before the walls of Salamis resulted in victory for the Greeks. Unfortunately, what rôle Nikodamas may have played in these events, if any, are unknown. This unique and artistically attractive stater ultimately derives its recumbent ram from the coinage of Evelthon, the first king of Salamis to strike coins in the sixth century B.C. This reuse of this old type served to advertise Nikodamas as a legitimate king from the dynasty of Evelthon (other rare issues also include the name of Evelthon in the obverse legend) and followed the royal numismatic custom at Salamis. Nikodamas' recognised predecessors, as well as Evanthes, who has been variously considered a successor or predecessor of Nikodamas, all employed this dynastic ram obverse type. The ram's head of the reverse may have been a novelty introduced by Nikodamas, if he did not inherit this reverse type from Evanthes, who also used it. The detailed execution of the head invites comparison with the best of the ram's head rhyta (drinking horns) that were fashionable at Greek drinking parties at the time that Nikodamas and Evanthes produced their coinages.