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Decadrachm
| Issuer | Akragas (Sicily) |
|---|---|
| Year | 409 BC - 406 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 43.31 g |
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| Obverse description | A fast quadriga driven to the left, the charioteer gripping the reins firmly with both hands; an eagle in full flight appears above, soaring leftward with a serpent clutched in its talons. Beneath the horses, a crab occupies the exergual area, serving as a civic symbol of Akragas. The composition is executed in the high-relief Sicilian style characteristic of the late fifth century BC, combining vigorous movement with exceptional artisanal refinement. |
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| Mintage | ND (409 BC - 406 BC) |
| Additional information |
The dating of this coin captures one of ancient numismatics' most debated questions — was it a victory issue, a funeral donative, or emergency pay for mercenaries as Carthaginian forces under Hannibal Mago and Himilco besieged and ultimately sacked Akragas in 406 BC? The city was evacuated rather than destroyed outright, its population fleeing to Gela, which means this coin was almost certainly among the last struck before the mint fell silent for decades.
Fewer than twenty authenticated specimens are known across all collections. The Westermark corpus remains the definitive die study.