Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 133 21 Nov 2022
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Greek Coins. Syracuse.
Didrachm circa 510-490, AR 8.45 g. SVRA[?]O – SI – ON Horse rider advancing r., holding a second horse, by the reins, on the far side of him. Rev. Head of the nymph Arethusa l., hair curling back from forehead with dotted parallel lines, within circle sunk at centre of a swastika developed from the quartering of an incuse square. Rizzo pl. XXXIV, 6. Jameson 1904 (this coin). Gillet 526 (this coin). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 23, 73. Boehringer 32.2 (this coin).
Extremely rare, apparently only five specimens known of which only three are in private
hands. An issue of great interest and fascination with a superb old cabinet tone.
Minor areas of porosity and several edge marks, otherwise good very fine
Ex Egger XVIII, 1906, 143; Egger XL, 1912, Prowe, 403; Leu-M&M 28 May 1974, Kunstfreund, 57; M&M 68, 1986,144 and New York XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 158 sales. From the Jameson collection.
This extremely rare didrachm belongs to the very first coinage struck at Syracuse, which consisted only of tetradrachms and didrachms. The obverse type featuring a horseman leading a second horse serves to indicate the denomination since the tetradrachm depicts a chariot of four horses and Syracusan drachms of later periods depict a single horse. The head within the small incuse circle on the reverse is a very early representation of Arethusa, the water nymph associated with Syracuse. From this somewhat unassuming beginning, her image on Syracusan coinage was destined to become a standard of classical artistic perfection at the end of the fifth century and was widely imitated throughout Sicily and beyond. Although often attributed to the first democracy at Syracuse, the date of 510-490 BC requires this coinage to belong to the period of rule by the Gamoroi-aristocratic families descended from the original settlers of Syracuse. Perhaps a little after 490 BC, the Gamoroi were expelled from the city in a political revolution and a democracy was established. The new constitution was short lived, however, as the exiled Gamoroi obtained military aid from Gelon I, the powerful Deinomenid tyrant of Gela, and Syracuse was recaptured. Unfortunately for both the democrats and the Gamoroi, Gelon did not restore power to the old Syracusan aristocracy, but instead became the first tyrant of Syracuse.
Didrachm circa 510-490, AR 8.45 g. SVRA[?]O – SI – ON Horse rider advancing r., holding a second horse, by the reins, on the far side of him. Rev. Head of the nymph Arethusa l., hair curling back from forehead with dotted parallel lines, within circle sunk at centre of a swastika developed from the quartering of an incuse square. Rizzo pl. XXXIV, 6. Jameson 1904 (this coin). Gillet 526 (this coin). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 23, 73. Boehringer 32.2 (this coin).
Extremely rare, apparently only five specimens known of which only three are in private
hands. An issue of great interest and fascination with a superb old cabinet tone.
Minor areas of porosity and several edge marks, otherwise good very fine
Ex Egger XVIII, 1906, 143; Egger XL, 1912, Prowe, 403; Leu-M&M 28 May 1974, Kunstfreund, 57; M&M 68, 1986,144 and New York XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 158 sales. From the Jameson collection.
This extremely rare didrachm belongs to the very first coinage struck at Syracuse, which consisted only of tetradrachms and didrachms. The obverse type featuring a horseman leading a second horse serves to indicate the denomination since the tetradrachm depicts a chariot of four horses and Syracusan drachms of later periods depict a single horse. The head within the small incuse circle on the reverse is a very early representation of Arethusa, the water nymph associated with Syracuse. From this somewhat unassuming beginning, her image on Syracusan coinage was destined to become a standard of classical artistic perfection at the end of the fifth century and was widely imitated throughout Sicily and beyond. Although often attributed to the first democracy at Syracuse, the date of 510-490 BC requires this coinage to belong to the period of rule by the Gamoroi-aristocratic families descended from the original settlers of Syracuse. Perhaps a little after 490 BC, the Gamoroi were expelled from the city in a political revolution and a democracy was established. The new constitution was short lived, however, as the exiled Gamoroi obtained military aid from Gelon I, the powerful Deinomenid tyrant of Gela, and Syracuse was recaptured. Unfortunately for both the democrats and the Gamoroi, Gelon did not restore power to the old Syracusan aristocracy, but instead became the first tyrant of Syracuse.