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Dekadrachm - Dionysios I
| Issuer | Syracuse |
|---|---|
| Year | 400 BC - 390 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Litra |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Magnificent left-facing head of the nymph Arethusa rendered in high relief, her elaborately waved and braided hair bound with a wreath of reeds and adorned with a pendant earring. Four dolphins swim encircling the effigy in the field, a hallmark device of Syracusan coinage identifying the freshwater spring of Arethusa. The legend ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ arcs around the periphery, and a small eight-pointed star appears in the lower field. The portrait exemplifies the celebrated free style of Sicilian die engraving at its artistic zenith. |
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| Mint | Syracuse Mint |
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| Additional information |
These dekadrachms were struck under Dionysios I to commemorate Syracuse's decisive victories over Carthage and the liberation of Greek Sicily — a deliberate act of political theater in precious metal. The engravers responsible, almost certainly from the circle of Kimon and Euainetos, were working at the absolute peak of Greek die-cutting, and the craftsmanship here was almost certainly a calculated statement of cultural supremacy over the Punic world.
Jameson 830 is a recognized die reference within a series notorious for its die variety complexity. Fewer than a few hundred genuine examples are documented across all collections.