Leu Numismatik AG
Web Auction 16 22-24 May 2021
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THRACE. Byzantium. Diassarion (Orichalcum, 22 mm, 6.41 g, 4 h), Demeter, honorary magistrate for the second time. Time of Hadrian, circa 128-137. BYZAΣ Bearded head of the eponymous hero Byzas to right, wearing crested Attic helmet. Rev. ЄΠΙ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΟϹ ΤΟ Β Prow to right. RPC III 1088. Schönert-Geiss 2033 (V1/R2). Rare. An unusually attractive example of this interesting issue. Very fine.
This pseudo-autonomous issue from Byzantium is interesting in two ways. Firstly, it shows Byzas, one of the sons of King Nisos of Migara, on the obverse. Legend has it that Nisas asked the Pythia in Delphi where to have his son found a new city, to which the oracle replied: 'in the land opposite to the city of the blind'. Arriving at the Dardanelles, Byzas realized that the Pythia must have referred to the Golden Horn, an easily defendible peninsula with a perfect natural harbor opposite of the already established city of Kalchedon, whose inhabitants had failed to take advantage of this ideal site when arriving in the region. Secondly, a common misconception is to read the name on the reverse as that of an actual magistrate ('Demetros'). This is, instead, the name of the goddess Demeter, who was, thus, at least twice appointed as an honorary official of the city of Byzantium.
This pseudo-autonomous issue from Byzantium is interesting in two ways. Firstly, it shows Byzas, one of the sons of King Nisos of Migara, on the obverse. Legend has it that Nisas asked the Pythia in Delphi where to have his son found a new city, to which the oracle replied: 'in the land opposite to the city of the blind'. Arriving at the Dardanelles, Byzas realized that the Pythia must have referred to the Golden Horn, an easily defendible peninsula with a perfect natural harbor opposite of the already established city of Kalchedon, whose inhabitants had failed to take advantage of this ideal site when arriving in the region. Secondly, a common misconception is to read the name on the reverse as that of an actual magistrate ('Demetros'). This is, instead, the name of the goddess Demeter, who was, thus, at least twice appointed as an honorary official of the city of Byzantium.