Numismatica Ars Classica
Auction 138 18-19 May 2023
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Salamis. Gorgos II (?), circa 450 – 430
Siglos circa 450-430, AR 11.13 g. ba si le fo se – ku ru ko [..] in Cypriot characters Ram lying l. Rev. ba – si ku – ru – ko Ram's head l.; below, ankh, astragalos and panther's head facing. All within incuse square. cf. Roma Numismatics sale XIII, 2017, 411 (these dies). For similar types but under king Euanthes, cf. K. McGregor, The Coinage of Salamis, Cyprus, from the Sixth to the Fourth Centuries, 336-337. ACGC 1082. BMC 38-39.
Of the highest rarity, apparently the second and by far the finest specimen known, of an
issue of great historical interest and importance. Struck on a very large flan
and complete. Extremely fine
Ex Roma Numismatics sale XVII, 2019, 550. From the Collection of an Aesthete.
The ram types of this Cypriot siglos are beautifully rendered in Archaic Greek style with the stylised wool of the animals almost inviting touch to see if it really feels as soft as it looks, or if it feels only like cold, hard metal. These types are well known from Cypriot coins of Euanthes, the king of Salamis in c. 450 BC, but here they are associated with the name of a king Ku-ru-ko... in Cypriot syllabic script. Ku-ru-ko..., translated into Greek as Gorgos, is believed to be the second king of Salamis to bear this name. The existence of this king was only discovered in 2017, when the first specimen appeared at auction as Roma XIII, lot 411. It was noted as originating in a Bavarian collection formed between 1960 and 1990 and at the time was the only specimen known. Since that time a second example, reportedly from the same collection, appeared in 2019 (Roma XVII, 2019, 550). Known from only these two examples, the present coin is an extremely rare piece providing new insight into the political and numismatic history of Cyprus in the fifth century BC. The Gorgos of the new coins is somewhat problematic from a historical perspective. It has been noted that the types must predate the coinage of Nikodamos (c. 460-450 BC), but it seems stylistically impossible for them to be as early as Gorgos, the grandson of Evelthon, who was briefly overthrown by his brother Onesilus during the Ionian Revolt (499-493 BC). In 496 BC, this Gorgos subsequently returned to Cyprus with Persian support to reclaim his throne and become king over all the Cypriot cities that had rebelled against the Great King. He is not known to have issued any coins. If the Gorgos who seems to be named on the present coin is not the Gorgos of Ionian Revolt fame, then he must be an otherwise unknown Gorgos II who falls between the former and the reign of Nikodamos. The suggestion that he might have been a Phoenician usurper based on Isocrates' account of Evagoras I reclaiming the throne of Salamis from the Phoenicians in c. 411 BC (Isoc. Evagoras 19-20), long after even the reign of Nikodamos seems very improbable considering that there is no evidence for Phoenician control of Salamis between the 490s and the accession of Nikodamos on c. 460 BC and the rulers use of a Greek name. More research is definitely warranted for this remarkable and enigmatic coin.
Siglos circa 450-430, AR 11.13 g. ba si le fo se – ku ru ko [..] in Cypriot characters Ram lying l. Rev. ba – si ku – ru – ko Ram's head l.; below, ankh, astragalos and panther's head facing. All within incuse square. cf. Roma Numismatics sale XIII, 2017, 411 (these dies). For similar types but under king Euanthes, cf. K. McGregor, The Coinage of Salamis, Cyprus, from the Sixth to the Fourth Centuries, 336-337. ACGC 1082. BMC 38-39.
Of the highest rarity, apparently the second and by far the finest specimen known, of an
issue of great historical interest and importance. Struck on a very large flan
and complete. Extremely fine
Ex Roma Numismatics sale XVII, 2019, 550. From the Collection of an Aesthete.
The ram types of this Cypriot siglos are beautifully rendered in Archaic Greek style with the stylised wool of the animals almost inviting touch to see if it really feels as soft as it looks, or if it feels only like cold, hard metal. These types are well known from Cypriot coins of Euanthes, the king of Salamis in c. 450 BC, but here they are associated with the name of a king Ku-ru-ko... in Cypriot syllabic script. Ku-ru-ko..., translated into Greek as Gorgos, is believed to be the second king of Salamis to bear this name. The existence of this king was only discovered in 2017, when the first specimen appeared at auction as Roma XIII, lot 411. It was noted as originating in a Bavarian collection formed between 1960 and 1990 and at the time was the only specimen known. Since that time a second example, reportedly from the same collection, appeared in 2019 (Roma XVII, 2019, 550). Known from only these two examples, the present coin is an extremely rare piece providing new insight into the political and numismatic history of Cyprus in the fifth century BC. The Gorgos of the new coins is somewhat problematic from a historical perspective. It has been noted that the types must predate the coinage of Nikodamos (c. 460-450 BC), but it seems stylistically impossible for them to be as early as Gorgos, the grandson of Evelthon, who was briefly overthrown by his brother Onesilus during the Ionian Revolt (499-493 BC). In 496 BC, this Gorgos subsequently returned to Cyprus with Persian support to reclaim his throne and become king over all the Cypriot cities that had rebelled against the Great King. He is not known to have issued any coins. If the Gorgos who seems to be named on the present coin is not the Gorgos of Ionian Revolt fame, then he must be an otherwise unknown Gorgos II who falls between the former and the reign of Nikodamos. The suggestion that he might have been a Phoenician usurper based on Isocrates' account of Evagoras I reclaiming the throne of Salamis from the Phoenicians in c. 411 BC (Isoc. Evagoras 19-20), long after even the reign of Nikodamos seems very improbable considering that there is no evidence for Phoenician control of Salamis between the 490s and the accession of Nikodamos on c. 460 BC and the rulers use of a Greek name. More research is definitely warranted for this remarkable and enigmatic coin.