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Dekadrachm - Agathokles
| Issuer | Syracuse |
|---|---|
| Year | 317 BC - 289 BC |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 4.29 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Greek |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Agathokles seized power in Syracuse through a coup in 317 BC, massacring thousands of political opponents in the assembly before declaring himself ruler — eventually taking the title of king in 304 BC, the first in Sicily to do so. This gold issue belongs to a reign defined by audacious military overreach, most famously his 310 BC decision to carry the war against Carthage directly into North Africa rather than defend a besieged Syracuse, a strategic gamble without precedent in Greek colonial warfare.
The dekadrachm denomination in gold is exceptionally rare for this series. The weight standard reflects Syracusan adaptation rather than strict Attic compliance.