Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 126 17 Nov 2021
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Campania, The Campani
Didrachm circa 415-400, AR 7.65 g. Head of Athena r., wearing crested Athenian helmet decorated with olive wreath. Rev. KAMΠANON Man-headed bull walking l. Sambon 769 (this coin). Jameson 1854 (this coin). Rutter 9b (this coin). AMB 29 (this coin). Historia Numorum Italy 478.
Extremely rare and undoubtedly the finest example known. Struck on a very broad flan
and with a superb old cabinet tone. An edge nick at one o'clock on obverse,
otherwise extremely fine
Ex Sambon-Canessa 9 May 1903, Maddalena, 81; Rollin & Feuardent 17 December 1919, Collignon 6 and NAC 13, 1998, Antikenmuseum Basel, 29 sales. From the Jameson and Athos and Dina Moretti collections.
The southwestern region of Italy known as Campania derived its name from the important city of Capua. Although Capua was an original Etruscan foundation and the coast of Campania was settled by Greek colonists at Cumae and Neapolis, the region was dominated by Oscan Italic peoples. In the late fifth century BC, the cities of Campania faced repeated invasion by the Samnites, a warlike Oscan people of south-central Italy. During one of these incursions Capua fell to its attackers. It was resettled as a Samnite city with Italic inhabitants who subsequently called themselves the Campani. The martial prowess of the Campani made them a menace to the neighbouring cities and made them popular as mercenaries, especially in Sicily, but conflicts with the Samnites of Samnium ultimately drew them into the Roman sphere of influence in the fourth century BC. The present stater was struck when the Campani were at the height of their power in Campania in the fifth century BC. However, while the coin clearly names the Campani in Greek, the Athena and man-faced bull types are derived from contemporary Neapolitan issues. Indeed the quality of the engraving has led to the conclusion that the coinage naming the Campani was actually struck at Neapolis on their behalf. Neapolis also seems to have struck coins with similar types for other Italic peoples. The important question in all of this is whether Naples struck these coins as part of some larger Campanian monetary alliance or as tribute money to ensure that it did not suffer the same fate as Capua. Although the man-faced bull traditionally represented the Acarnanian river-god Acheloos, over time this image was applied to the spirit of any river. It enjoyed special popularity on the coinage of Campania and Sicily.
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Didrachm circa 415-400, AR 7.65 g. Head of Athena r., wearing crested Athenian helmet decorated with olive wreath. Rev. KAMΠANON Man-headed bull walking l. Sambon 769 (this coin). Jameson 1854 (this coin). Rutter 9b (this coin). AMB 29 (this coin). Historia Numorum Italy 478.
Extremely rare and undoubtedly the finest example known. Struck on a very broad flan
and with a superb old cabinet tone. An edge nick at one o'clock on obverse,
otherwise extremely fine
Ex Sambon-Canessa 9 May 1903, Maddalena, 81; Rollin & Feuardent 17 December 1919, Collignon 6 and NAC 13, 1998, Antikenmuseum Basel, 29 sales. From the Jameson and Athos and Dina Moretti collections.
The southwestern region of Italy known as Campania derived its name from the important city of Capua. Although Capua was an original Etruscan foundation and the coast of Campania was settled by Greek colonists at Cumae and Neapolis, the region was dominated by Oscan Italic peoples. In the late fifth century BC, the cities of Campania faced repeated invasion by the Samnites, a warlike Oscan people of south-central Italy. During one of these incursions Capua fell to its attackers. It was resettled as a Samnite city with Italic inhabitants who subsequently called themselves the Campani. The martial prowess of the Campani made them a menace to the neighbouring cities and made them popular as mercenaries, especially in Sicily, but conflicts with the Samnites of Samnium ultimately drew them into the Roman sphere of influence in the fourth century BC. The present stater was struck when the Campani were at the height of their power in Campania in the fifth century BC. However, while the coin clearly names the Campani in Greek, the Athena and man-faced bull types are derived from contemporary Neapolitan issues. Indeed the quality of the engraving has led to the conclusion that the coinage naming the Campani was actually struck at Neapolis on their behalf. Neapolis also seems to have struck coins with similar types for other Italic peoples. The important question in all of this is whether Naples struck these coins as part of some larger Campanian monetary alliance or as tribute money to ensure that it did not suffer the same fate as Capua. Although the man-faced bull traditionally represented the Acarnanian river-god Acheloos, over time this image was applied to the spirit of any river. It enjoyed special popularity on the coinage of Campania and Sicily.
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