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Æ21 - Pyrrhos of Epeiros
| Issuer | Pyrrhos of Epeiros |
|---|---|
| Year | 278 BC - 276 BC |
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| Composition | Bronze |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A seated deity, identified as Zeus Olympios or a related enthroned figure, shown in three-quarter view facing left, draped and holding a sceptre or spear in one hand; a large eagle or similar attribute may be discerned at the feet. The throne is rendered with columnar supports and a footstool beneath the figure. The Greek royal legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ to the left and ΠΥΡΡΟΥ to the right flanks the central type, asserting Pyrrhos's claim to kingship over Syracuse during his Sicilian campaign. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΠΥΡΡΟΥ |
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| Additional information |
Pyrrhos struck this bronze during his Italian campaign, the period when he had crossed into Sicily to drive the Carthaginians off the island — briefly succeeding, then overextending himself to the point that his Sicilian allies turned against him. He was effectively fighting two wars simultaneously, and his coinage from these years reflects a mobile military mint following one of the ancient world's most restless commanders. The issues are not rare by type, but examples with honest surfaces are scarce; they circulated hard in a campaign economy.