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Drachm / Half Shekel Punic occupation
| Issuer | Lucani |
|---|---|
| Year | 209 BC - 207 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
| Reference(s) | HN Italy#1449 |
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|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A large, finely detailed ear of barley or wheat occupies the centre of the field, depicted upright with clearly articulated grains and branching awns. A curved leaf or stem extends to the right, upon which a small owl perches, facing left with outstretched wings. To the left of the ear, the ethnic inscription ΛΟΥΚΑ is arranged vertically in Oscan-influenced Greek characters, reading downward. The composition closely parallels the civic types of Metapontion, reflecting the cultural and commercial milieu of Lucanian southern Italy during the Hannibalic period. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΛΟΥΚΑ |
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| Additional information |
The Lucani issued this coinage during the final desperate phase of Hannibal's Italian campaign, when much of southern Italy remained nominally under Carthaginian influence following the catastrophe at Cannae. The "Punic occupation" designation reflects the political reality of communities minting under, or at least alongside, Carthaginian military presence rather than Roman authority. By 207 BC, Hasdrubal's defeat at the Metaurus effectively ended any realistic prospect of Carthaginian consolidation in Italy, and issues of this type ceased accordingly.
The drachm weight standard here is Punic-derived, a deliberate alignment with Carthaginian monetary practice rather than the Roman or Greek systems the region had previously used.