Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 124 23 Jun 2021
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Elis, Olympia.
Stater circa late 450s, Olympiads 82-87, AR 12.21 g. Eagle flying r., grasping snake in its beak and talons. Rev. F – A Thunderbolt upright, with volutes above and wings below. Seltman, Olympia 47 or 48. Weber 4007 (this obverse die). BCD Olympia –.
An apparently unrecorded variety of an extremely rare type. Lovely old
cabinet tone, several countermarks, otherwise good very fine
Ex NFA sale 9, 1980, 220. Privately purchased from Tradart on 31st March 2011.
This stater was struck at a very difficult time for the Eleans. While the bulk of the cities in the Peloponnesus had supported Sparta and the Peloponnesian League against Athens and the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), Elis had a falling out with Sparta in 421 BC over control of the cities of Triphylia and formed its own alliance of disgruntled Peloponnesian allies. This included Corinth, Mantinea and Argus, but only survived until 418 BC, when the allies were defeated by the Spartans and forced to return to the Peloponnesian League. The Spartans did not address the issue further at the time, but once the Peloponnesian War was brought to a successful conclusion in 404 BC, they took the opportunity to avenge themselves on Elis. They stripped the city of all its dependencies in Triphylia and Pisatis, took away its port and forbade it to have an army or fleet. The only thing not taken away was Elean administration of Olympia and the panhellenic Olympic Festival that had been held there every five years since 776 BC. The coinage struck for Olympia by the Eleans is believed to have been driven largely by the pentetric cycle of the festival and the need for money to produce them. It also served to encourage exchange (at a profit for Elis) at the merchant stalls that grew up to sell to the crowds of visitors who came to see the games. There is also some possibility that the coins also served as souvenirs. This particular issue features the attributes of Zeus Olympios, the god in whose honor the Olympic Festival was held. The majestic head of his bird, the eagle, appears on the obverse while his weapon, the thunderbolt, is depicted on the reverse.
Stater circa late 450s, Olympiads 82-87, AR 12.21 g. Eagle flying r., grasping snake in its beak and talons. Rev. F – A Thunderbolt upright, with volutes above and wings below. Seltman, Olympia 47 or 48. Weber 4007 (this obverse die). BCD Olympia –.
An apparently unrecorded variety of an extremely rare type. Lovely old
cabinet tone, several countermarks, otherwise good very fine
Ex NFA sale 9, 1980, 220. Privately purchased from Tradart on 31st March 2011.
This stater was struck at a very difficult time for the Eleans. While the bulk of the cities in the Peloponnesus had supported Sparta and the Peloponnesian League against Athens and the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC), Elis had a falling out with Sparta in 421 BC over control of the cities of Triphylia and formed its own alliance of disgruntled Peloponnesian allies. This included Corinth, Mantinea and Argus, but only survived until 418 BC, when the allies were defeated by the Spartans and forced to return to the Peloponnesian League. The Spartans did not address the issue further at the time, but once the Peloponnesian War was brought to a successful conclusion in 404 BC, they took the opportunity to avenge themselves on Elis. They stripped the city of all its dependencies in Triphylia and Pisatis, took away its port and forbade it to have an army or fleet. The only thing not taken away was Elean administration of Olympia and the panhellenic Olympic Festival that had been held there every five years since 776 BC. The coinage struck for Olympia by the Eleans is believed to have been driven largely by the pentetric cycle of the festival and the need for money to produce them. It also served to encourage exchange (at a profit for Elis) at the merchant stalls that grew up to sell to the crowds of visitors who came to see the games. There is also some possibility that the coins also served as souvenirs. This particular issue features the attributes of Zeus Olympios, the god in whose honor the Olympic Festival was held. The majestic head of his bird, the eagle, appears on the obverse while his weapon, the thunderbolt, is depicted on the reverse.