Nomos AG
Auction 25 20 Nov 2022
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MYSIA. Kyzikos. 5th-4th century BC. Stater (Electrum, 18.5 mm, 15.99 g). Ephebe, nude but for his laurel wreath, riding a horse walking to left; crowning his horse with a wreath held in his left hand and holding the reins in his right; below, tunny swimming to left. Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. BMFA -. Greenwell 10. SNG Paris 344. Von Fritze 214, and pl. VI, 26 (same dies). Extremely rare. Lightly toned and well centered on a large flan. Good very fine.
When this type first appeared it was dated to c. 450-400 and its cataloguer suggested that the obverse type was derived from the coinage of Tarentum. In fact, that date is probably a bit early; as for the idea that the Kyzikenes were copying nomoi from Tarentum - that is surely going too far! What we do have here is a typical scene from the aristocratic world of ancient horse racing; events, which commonly took place as part of religious festivals all over the Greek world, not just at horse-mad Tarentum where they were so commonly commemorated. Thus the victorious jockey, who has already been crowned the winner with one wreath, crowns his horse with a second.
When this type first appeared it was dated to c. 450-400 and its cataloguer suggested that the obverse type was derived from the coinage of Tarentum. In fact, that date is probably a bit early; as for the idea that the Kyzikenes were copying nomoi from Tarentum - that is surely going too far! What we do have here is a typical scene from the aristocratic world of ancient horse racing; events, which commonly took place as part of religious festivals all over the Greek world, not just at horse-mad Tarentum where they were so commonly commemorated. Thus the victorious jockey, who has already been crowned the winner with one wreath, crowns his horse with a second.