Nomos AG
Auction 27 22 May 2023
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SICILY. Messana. 475-471 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 26.5 mm, 17.27 g, 9 h). Charioteer driving biga of mules walking to the right; in exergue, olive sprig with two leaves and tiny berry. Rev. ΜΕƧƧΕ-Ν-ΙΟ-Ν Hare springing to the right. Buceti 24b. Caltabiano 86 (D45/R44). SNG ANS 314. Nicely toned and well-centered. Minor die break on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine.
Acquired privately in the United States in 1999.
Beginning in c. 480 BC the obverse type chosen for tetradrachms of Messana refers to the tyrant Anaxilas's victory in the mule car races at Olympia. In 494 BC, Anaxilas, then tyrant of Rhegium, just across the straits from the Sicilian city of Zankle, encouraged some Samian and other Ionian refugees - fleeing from the Persians - to seize and settle Zankle. A few years later - in 488 - he threw them out, took over the city himself, resettled the city with settlers from his native city of Messene in the Peloponnesos, and renamed the city Messana. As for the Olympic mule car races, they were held from 500 until 444 BC when they dropped; Anaxilas was so proud of his victory in a race in the 480s (of course, he personally wasn't the driver - he was the patron who paid for the whole team, but the patron was the person who was declared the winner; the same was true for horse races of all types - the owner was the winner, not the jockey or the driver), that he displayed it on the obverse of his coins!
Acquired privately in the United States in 1999.
Beginning in c. 480 BC the obverse type chosen for tetradrachms of Messana refers to the tyrant Anaxilas's victory in the mule car races at Olympia. In 494 BC, Anaxilas, then tyrant of Rhegium, just across the straits from the Sicilian city of Zankle, encouraged some Samian and other Ionian refugees - fleeing from the Persians - to seize and settle Zankle. A few years later - in 488 - he threw them out, took over the city himself, resettled the city with settlers from his native city of Messene in the Peloponnesos, and renamed the city Messana. As for the Olympic mule car races, they were held from 500 until 444 BC when they dropped; Anaxilas was so proud of his victory in a race in the 480s (of course, he personally wasn't the driver - he was the patron who paid for the whole team, but the patron was the person who was declared the winner; the same was true for horse races of all types - the owner was the winner, not the jockey or the driver), that he displayed it on the obverse of his coins!