A Victory Lost to Time
CALABRIA, Tarentum. Circa 240-228 BC. AR Nomos (20mm, 6.46 g, 3h). Reduced standard. Warrior, wearing military attire, holding Nike, who crowns him, in extended right hand, on horse rearing right; monogram to upper left, KAΛΛIK[PA]/THΣ in two lines below / Phalanthos, nude, holding Nike, who crowns him, and cradling trident in left arm, riding dolphin left; ligate NE to right, TAPAΣ below. Vlasto 965–6; HN Italy 1059. In NGC encapsulation 8228934-002, graded MS, Strike: 4/5, Surface: 5/5.
This remarkable nomos celebrates a military victory whose details are lost to us, struck at a time when the city was more or less subject to Rome. The cavalry rider on the obverse is depicted with exquisite detail, enabling us to determine he is likely a senior commander, or epihipparkos, abbreviated in the monogram in the upper left field. He is bearded and wears a short cuirass (linothorax, a modern term) with layered linen strips called pteryges at his waist. His ankle-high boots are equipped with spurs. Tarentum took great pride in its cavalry and honored its riders extensively on their coinage.
