Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 124 23 Jun 2021
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Syracuse.
Decadrachm unsigned work by Kimon circa 405-400, AR 43.12 g. Fast quadriga driven l. by female charioteer leaning forward with kentron in r. hand and holding reins in l.; above, Nike flying r. to crown her. Below exergual line, display of military harness set on two steps: shield and crested helmet, cuirass between graves. Below the cuirass, [AΘΛA]. Rev. ΣYR – AKOΣIΩN Head of Arethusa l., wearing earring with pendant and beaded necklace; wavy hair bound in front with ampyx and caught up behind by net. Around, three dolphins swimming, while a fourth makes dorsal contact with neck truncation. SNG Ashmolean 2023 (these dies). Regling 8. Jongkees 8.
Very rare. A superb portrait struck in very high relief and a pleasant old cabinet tone,
reverse slightly off-centre, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Gans 16, 1960, 196 and Nomos 3, 2011, 30 sales. From the Mieza and J.P. Morgan collections.
Scholars have long attempted to ascribe Kimon's decadrachms to an historical event as they seem in every way to be commemorative medallions. The Syracusan defeat of the Athenian navy in 413 at first seems an ideal choice, though current thought on the dating of this issue favours the victorious actions of Syracuse in the otherwise devastating invasion of Sicily by the Carthaginians from 406 to 405 B.C. The most compelling reason to associate the Kimonian decadrachms with a military victory is the display of armour and weaponry that appears in the exergue along with the inscription AΘΛA, which indicates 'prizes', or at least 'agonistic contests'. Since it was a common practice of Greek soldiers to engrave dedicatory inscriptions on captured armour, a connection might be drawn between that practice and what we observe here. The obverse scene of a charioteer guiding his team through a bend is devoted entirely to victory. Despite their inherent dissimilarities, the four elements of the scene exist in harmony: the driver is calm and composed, the horses toss their heads wildly as they charge forward, Nike floats above as if undisturbed by the great contest below, and the display of arms and armour is fixed, as if monumental.
Decadrachm unsigned work by Kimon circa 405-400, AR 43.12 g. Fast quadriga driven l. by female charioteer leaning forward with kentron in r. hand and holding reins in l.; above, Nike flying r. to crown her. Below exergual line, display of military harness set on two steps: shield and crested helmet, cuirass between graves. Below the cuirass, [AΘΛA]. Rev. ΣYR – AKOΣIΩN Head of Arethusa l., wearing earring with pendant and beaded necklace; wavy hair bound in front with ampyx and caught up behind by net. Around, three dolphins swimming, while a fourth makes dorsal contact with neck truncation. SNG Ashmolean 2023 (these dies). Regling 8. Jongkees 8.
Very rare. A superb portrait struck in very high relief and a pleasant old cabinet tone,
reverse slightly off-centre, otherwise extremely fine
Ex Gans 16, 1960, 196 and Nomos 3, 2011, 30 sales. From the Mieza and J.P. Morgan collections.
Scholars have long attempted to ascribe Kimon's decadrachms to an historical event as they seem in every way to be commemorative medallions. The Syracusan defeat of the Athenian navy in 413 at first seems an ideal choice, though current thought on the dating of this issue favours the victorious actions of Syracuse in the otherwise devastating invasion of Sicily by the Carthaginians from 406 to 405 B.C. The most compelling reason to associate the Kimonian decadrachms with a military victory is the display of armour and weaponry that appears in the exergue along with the inscription AΘΛA, which indicates 'prizes', or at least 'agonistic contests'. Since it was a common practice of Greek soldiers to engrave dedicatory inscriptions on captured armour, a connection might be drawn between that practice and what we observe here. The obverse scene of a charioteer guiding his team through a bend is devoted entirely to victory. Despite their inherent dissimilarities, the four elements of the scene exist in harmony: the driver is calm and composed, the horses toss their heads wildly as they charge forward, Nike floats above as if undisturbed by the great contest below, and the display of arms and armour is fixed, as if monumental.