Description: Archaios Numismatics Description: Greek Bronze Dichalkon/Trichlkon of Sikyonia, Peloponnesos, circa 225-200 BC. Obverse: Dove flying right. Reverse: Tripod-lebes within wreath Mint: Sikyon, Sikyonia Size: 13 mm Weight: 2.87 g Ref: SNG Copenhagen 116 var. (letters on obv.). Inventory: 1909.36.4 Condition: aVF. A very interesting Rarer type from Sikyon, Use the Picture as your judge as grading is subjective. Notes: Sikyon (or Sicyon) was an ancient Greek city state situated in the northern Peloponnesus between Corinth and Achaea on the territory of the present-day regional unit of Corinthia. An ancient monarchy at the times of the Trojan War, the city was ruled by a number of tyrants during the Archaic and Classical period and became a democracy in the 3rd century BC. Sicyon was celebrated for its contributions to ancient Greek art, producing many famous painters and sculptors. In Hellenistic times it was also the home of Aratus of Sicyon, the leader of the Achaean League. During the period of its greatest prosperity, Sikyon consisted of an acropolis about two miles from the Corinthian Gulf, a lower town at its foot, and a port-town. The large number of its coins still extant sufficiently attests the ancient wealth and commercial importance of the city. It does not appear to have struck many coins before the Persian wars, nor indeed does its money become plentiful much before B.C. 400, but from this time down to the Roman conquest (B.C. 146) the Sicyonian mint would seem to have been the most prolific in the whole of Peloponnesus. The history of the coinage of the Peloponnesus, regarded as a whole, may be summed up in a few words. From the age of Pheidon of Argos down to the Persian wars the only coins generally current in Peloponnesus were on the north coast the Corinthian Pegasos staters, elsewhere the staters of Aegina. In the interior the Arcadian triobols served the purpose of small change. The Aeginetic standard continued to be everywhere prevalent in Peloponnesus. The splendid and varied series of Elis does not begin before the close of the period of archaic art (circ. B.C. 471). Between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars we note an increase in the number of Arcadian mints, Cleitor, Heraea, Mantineia, Pallantium, Paroreia, and Psophis all issuing small silver coins in addition to the money of the Arcadian League. In the next period, B.C. 430-370, the Arcadian Federal money is entirely superseded by the local issues of the various Arcadian cities. The place occupied of old by the Aeginetic stater is now filled by the beautiful staters of Elis, Sicyon, and Argos. The bird on the coins may be the rock pigeon, great numbers of which still inhabit the cliffs that surround the ancient site. They were perhaps sacred to Apollo or Aphrodite, whose temple was one of the principal edifices of Sicyon, and in which there was a seated statue of the goddess by Canachus (Paus. ii. 10).’ The Σ, which so frequently occurs as a coin type, was the device of the city, and was placed by the Sicyonians on their shields (Xen. Hell. iv. 4). The use of the initial letter as a blazon was common in the Peloponnesus. Cf. on coins, Argos, Heraea, Epidaurus, Cleonae, &c., and for shields, Lacedaemon and Messene. The bronze coins of Sicyon are numerous. Some of them certainly belong to the latter part of the fourth century and to the first half of the third century B.C. Weil (Z. f. N., vii. 376) would attribute them to an earlier period, because some of them bear on the reverse the letters ΕΥ which he believes to stand for Euphron, one of the tyrants of Sicyon, shortly after B.C. 368. Other simliar emblazoned markings ΔΗ, ΘΕΥ, ΚΛΕ, ΜΕ, and ΤΕ (this coin). Excerpts from Head, Hist. 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Price: 75 USD
Location: Seattle, Washington
End Time: 2024-05-11T20:48:20.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Denomination: Dichalkon
Composition: Bronze
