Struck for the War Against Carthage

5697188.

SICILY, Akragas. Circa 415-406 BC. AV Tetradrachm – 2 Didrachms (10mm, 1.35 g, 11h). Silanos, magistrate. Eagle standing left, snake clasped in its talons, on rock outcropping; AKPA above, two pellets (mark of value) on rocks / Crab; below, ΣIΛA/NOΣ in two lines (the lower retrograde). Westermark, Coinage 1011 (O1¹/R3); HGC 2, 75; SNG Copenhagen 52 (same dies); SNG Lloyd 815 = Weber 1195 (same dies); BMC 2 (same dies); Boston MFA 237 (same dies); Dewing 570 (same dies); McClean 2039 (same dies). Lightly toned, a little die wear. Near EF.

Ex Neale Collection; Palombo 19 (12 December 2020), lot 9; Classical Numismatic Group 108 (16 May 2018), lot 11; Dr. Lawrence A. Adams Collection (Part III, Triton XIX, 6 January 2016), lot 2014; Superior (20 May 1995), lot 7857.

As it does so often, gold coinage indicates anticipation of an emergency, and thus this last issue of the city can be dated to the period before its capitulation to the Carthaginians in 406 BC (see Westermark p. 179, and C. Boehringer, "Die Finanzpolitik und Münzprägung des Dionysios von Syrakus" in Essays Thompson, pp. 15–6). It is thought that this particular gold issue was struck to pay the mercenaries who defended the city against the Punic forces. It is also the only gold issue of Akragas to feature a magistrate’s name. This magistrate, Silanos, was also responsible for a contemporary issue of tetradrachms (Westermark 595–6).