Anonymous. Circa 300/280-276 BC. AR Didrachm (19mm, 7.13 g, 6h). Helmeted head of Mars left; oak spray to right / Horse’s head right, wearing bridle, on base inscribed ROMANO; stalk of grain to left. Crawford 13/1; Burnett (OB/R2); Sydenham 1; RSC 4; HN Italy 266; RBW 3. Cabinet toning, slight roughness, small scrapes. VF.
The first Roman silver coins were produced about the time of King Pyrrhus' invasion of Italy at the behest of the Tarentines (280 BC) and were struck on a weight standard derived from the currency of the Campanian city of Neapolis. This initial issue (Mars/horse's head) seems to have been produced at the Greek mint of Metapontum, an attribution strongly suggested by the ear of barley appearing behind the horse's head on the reverse. The dies for this first issue of Roman didrachms display the fine Greek style for which the Metapontine coinage was renowned. The head of Mars on the obverse is inspired by the portrait of Leukippos, the founder of Metapontum when it was resettled from Sybaris, which had appeared regularly on the Metapontine coinage in the latter part of the 4th century.
