Euboia, Euboian League.
Stater circa 375-357, AR 12.16 g. Diademed head of the nymph Euboia r., wearing a half-moon shaped earring and necklace. Rev. Cow crouched r.; above, bunch of grapes hanging from stalk and below, ΕΥΒ. All within shallow incuse circle. Traité II, 3, 170 and pl. CXCVII, 19 (these dies). Wallace 9. Gillet 917 (this coin). BCD Euboia, 4 (this coin).
Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, undoubtedly one of the finest staters
of the Euboian League in existence. Of unusually fine style and exceptionally well-
centred and complete for the issue. Superb old cabinet tone and extremely fine
Ex Leu 28, 1981, 104, Lanz 111, 2002, BCD 111 and Nomos 3, 2011, 86 sales. From the Gillet, BCD and Spina collections.
The elongated island of Euboia, located off the coast of Thessaly, Boiotia, and Attica was believed to have been broken off of mainland Greece by a major earthquake. It was known as a good region for pasturing cattle and as a strategic location. Movement from Thessaly to Central Greece was easier through Euboia than via the dangerous passes through the mountains thanks to a bridge connecting the island to Attica. Chalkis, Eretria, Histiaia, and Karystos, the four major cities of Euboia appear to have banded together to form a federal state known as the Euboian League. It is thought that the cities were influenced to establish the league at this time by their close alliance with Thebes and the Boiotian League. The Thebans strongly supported the creation of larger states-federal or otherwise-as a bulwark against the restoration of Spartan power after 371 BC, as in the case of Messenia and the and the Arkadian League. This first Euboian League is thought to have flourished while Theban hegemony remained strong in Greece, but came to be riven by pro-Athenian and pro-Theban factionalism as Theban power waned. By 357 BC, the league had disintegrated and individual Euboian cities became members of a new Athenian Naval League. It was subsequently restored in the 350s BC in an attempt to resist increasing Athenian influence over Euboia and its cities. This stater is a beautiful example the federal coinage struck for the Theban-sponsored Euboian League. It features the head of the eponymous nymph Euboia. According to one mythological tradition she was rooted in the sea by Poseidon himself. The recumbent bull on the reverse is a pun on the name of the island. Euboia literally means "Rich in Cattle."