Greek coins from Magna Graecia

[Steve]

kevikens stated "Steve: Since you have a Tarentine drachma similar to mine, especially the reverse with a very Attic looking owl, I wonder if you could comment on something. In most references, with the notable exception of Arnold Toynbee, Tarentum or Taras is said to have been a Doric, Spartan colony. The owls on these coins look very much like the Attic "owls" of Fifth to Third century BC Athens. Why would a Doric speaking colony put an Athenian looking owl of their coinage ca. 300 BC? Anyone, any thoughts on this?"

 

Eh-heh-heh, sorry kevikens, but all the info I have on this sweet ol' ex-coin is listed below (I merely loved it and bought it because it was so fricken awesome)

 

CALABRIA, Tarentum. AR Drachm |(below)

Circa 302-280 BC

Diameter: 16 mm

Weight: 3.23 grams

Obverse: Helmeted head of Athena right, helmet decorated with Skylla throwing stone

Reverse: Owl standing right, head facing; ZOP and olive branch to right

Reference: Vlasto 1047; HN Italy 975

Other: 12h … toned, struck with worn reverse die

Ex-stevex6

 

 

... sorry kevikens, I wish I could have been more help

 

Hi

 

Edited July 8, 2022 by Steve

[Deinomenid]

2 hours ago, kevikens said:

Steve: Since you have a Tarentine drachma similar to mine, especially the reverse with a very Attic looking owl, I wonder if you could comment on something. In most references, with the notable exception of Arnold Toynbee, Tarentum or Taras is said to have been a Doric, Spartan colony. The owls on these coins look very much like the Attic "owls" of Fifth to Third century BC Athens. Why would a Doric speaking colony put an Athenian looking owl of their coinage ca. 300 BC? Anyone, any thoughts on this?

Even the Doric ubercity of Magna Graecia - Syracuse- had a coin with a similar owl, though it took until the 5th republic! Though that doesn’t answer why….

 

Edited July 8, 2022 by Deinomenid
Added name of city…

[antwerpen2306]

The foundation of Tarentum is still a mystery. Ancient authors write about , as Ephoros ans Antiochos saying it is a Laconian foundation. These version has been followed by others, as Dionysios of Halicarnassos and Diodoros.

Eusebios gives the date : 706 BC, but this is maybe to late because : the predoric elements in the idiom of Tarentum are easier to explain by a colonisation in an earlier period and an emigration from Sparta is hard to explain and justify after the Messenian Wars.

By the foundation of Thourioi is the Attic coin style is imported in Italy with the helmed Athena and fewer the owl. After a while, all connection with Athens was forgotten  and the images were used without a reference to Athens by many towns in Magna Graecia.

[kevikens]

Thanks, Antwerpen. I enjoy the scholarship behind the coins as much as the coins themselves.

[antwerpen2306]

AR Litra of Gela

Gela was founded by Rhodos (Antiphemos)and Crete (Entimos) on the south-west coast and is now named Terranova near Fiume di Terranova.

The river Gela gives tha name : 'immanisque Gela fluvii cognomine dicta'(AenIII,702). The founding was circa 689-688 BC, says Thucydides : six generations of 35 years before the death of Geloon in 479-478.

AR Litra

warrior with shield and spear on horse l.

androcephalic protome of a bull

10 mm, .52 gr,6 h, circa 430-425 BC

Jenkins,Gela,Group 6,401-53,HGC 2,374

Gela began minting money c.500 BC on Attic standard. The gamma was written 'C' till c. 415 BC.

The horseman shows the importance of the cavalry in the army of Gela. The reverse is a typical image for Magna Graecia of the god of the river, who was also aften a protector of the city.

 

[antwerpen2306]

Next 3 coins from Syracuse are my last coins for Magna Graecia.

The town has been  colonized by Archias from Corinth in the thirties of the 8° century BC (Thucydides), other sources mention the year 700 BC (Diodoros and the Marmor Parium).

The town was took the name from a marsh, named Surako.

Syracuse started minting around 520/510 BC on Attic standard. The basic coin was the tetradrachm with the typical images : a quadriga on the obverse and the head of the nymph Arethusa on the reverse. In the years 470/460 BC the litra  and the dekadrachm (temporarily) were introduced.

 

AR obol, 8.5 mm, .67 gr, 12 h

Boehringer364, Raggi478-480

480-475 BC

AR hemidrachm, 12 mm, 1.29 gr, 6 h.

SNGMuenchen1130.

344-339 BC, period of Timoleon and the Third Democracy.

AR Tetradrachm.

obverse : Charioteer, holding keltron and reins, driving walking quadriga r.above Nike flying r., crowning horses.

reverse : head of Arethusa r., wearing earring, necklace and headband, her hair tied in a krobylos, around 4 delphins.

25 mm, 16.77 gr, 6 h.

Boehringer338, Randazzo507 (this dies).

475-470 BC

The image of the horses is an indication for the date of the coin. Untill about 440 BC the horses advance slowly and majestic, after this date in gallop or prancing. On the last coins, the horse are again quick. In this early tetradrachm, there are two horses very well represented and the two others imaged with lines.

The charioteer ha s a kentron in his hand, a stick with a sharp end.

Arethusa is represented with her hair on old fashion in a krobylos, typical for men and women in late archaic and early classic period. The hair is token together at the base of the neck and is turned under the taenia or hair ribbon. This way of representation is used till about 465 BC.

ps: sorry for the translation, but I am thinking in french (most) and flemish.