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1 Sextans
| Issuer | Meles |
|---|---|
| Year | 216 BC - 210 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | African elephant advancing to the left, depicted in profile with naturalistic rendering of the tusks, trunk, and broad ears, alluding to the Carthaginian military presence in Italy during the Second Punic War. The animal is shown in a striding pose with all four legs visible. The field is unadorned and bears no legend or exergual inscription. The style is consistent with other Oscan or south Italian cast bronzes of the period. |
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| Mintage | ND (216 BC - 210 BC) |
| Additional information |
Meles was one of the small Bruttian communities in the toe of Italy that issued struck bronze coinage during the Second Punic War — a period when Hannibal's presence in southern Italy fractured Roman authority and allowed, or compelled, local mints to operate independently. The attribution to Meles remains debated among specialists; the HN Italy listing acknowledges the identification is tentative, resting largely on find-spot evidence rather than epigraphic certainty.
At 22.23g, this sextans is heavier than many contemporary issues from the region, suggesting it was struck early in the series before weight reduction set in.