Æ

Historical Context: This Æ issue from Neapolis, struck between 350 BC and 325 BC, belongs to a flourishing period for the Greek city in Campania. During this era, Neapolis maintained its significant cultural and economic autonomy, navigating complex regional politics involving Samnites and the rising power of Rome. As a vital port and cultural hub in Magna Graecia, its bronze coinage served essential local commercial functions, complementing its prominent silver issues and asserting its independent civic identity amidst broader Italic influences.

Artistry: The engraver, typical for civic issues of this period, remains anonymous, yet the coin reflects the high artistic standards prevalent in late Classical to early Hellenistic Magna Graecia. Neapolitan bronzes often feature finely rendered portraits, frequently depicting deities like Apollo or the eponymous nymph Parthenope on the obverse. Reverse designs commonly include a bull, often man-headed (Acheloos), or civic symbols such as a tripod or amphora, executed with a blend of naturalism and idealized form characteristic of the era.

Technical/Grading: This 16mm bronze piece, weighing 3.95 gg, generally exhibits typical strike qualities for the medium and period. High-points for grading typically include the hair and facial features on the obverse portrait, and the musculature or defining elements of any reverse animal or object. While bronze flans can often be irregular or exhibit minor off-centering, a well-struck example will present clear details, minimal porosity, and an even strike, allowing for full appreciation of the intricate die work despite the smaller module.