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PERSIA, Achaemenid Empire. temp. Artaxerxes I to Darios II. Circa 455-420 BC. AR Siglos (13mm, 5.53 g). Lydo-Milesian standard. Sardes mint. Persian king or hero, wearing kidaris and kandys, quiver over shoulder, in kneeling-running stance right, holding dagger in right hand, bow in left / Incuse punch. Carradice Type IV, Group A (pl. XIII, 33); Meadows, Administration –; BMC Arabia pl. XXVII, 7; cf. Sunrise 27 (daric). Deeply toned with iridescence, banker’s mark on reverse. Good VF.
From the DSV Collection.
Following their defeats at Plataia and Mycale, the Persians no longer attempted a full-scale invasion of Greece. Instead, they faced a new revolt of the Greek cities in Asia Minor, as well as Greek counterattacks on the Persian-held towns of Sestos and Byzantion. While Sparta was eager to end its involvement in the war, Athens pressed for continuing to fight the Persians. To that end, a league was formed, which met on the sacred island of Delos. Known as the Delian League, it was lead by Athens, who in 454 BC moved the League's treasury to the Acropolis. There the Athenians began to use the money for their own purposes, which not only lead to conflicts between the League's members, but also threatened Sparta and its allies. The result was the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC).
The Wars of the Delian League (477-449 BC) were fought between the Delian League of Athens and its allies, and the Achaemenid Empire of Persia. Throughout the 470s, the Delian League, under the command of Kimon, campaigned to remove those Persian garrisons that remained in Thrace. Then advancing to Asia Minor to strengthen the Greek position there, the Athenian delivered a stunning double-pronged victory at the Battle of the Eurymedon in Pamphylia. When Artaxerxes I ascended the throne following the assassination of his father Xerxes I in 465 BC, he introduced a new strategy of weakening the Athenians by funding their enemies in Greece, a policy that the Persians pursued during the Peloponnesian War. In 451 BC, a truce among the Greek city-states allowed the Athenians once again to attack Persia. This time, it was an expedition in Cyprus. While besieging the city of Kition there, however, Kimon died and the Athenians withdrew, though they were unaware of their commander's death. While sailing off of Salamis-in-Cyprus, the deceased 'Kimon' achieved a combined land and sea victory, allowing Athenians to return successfully to Athens. The end of hostilities between the Greeks and Persia was marked by the controversial Peace of Kallias in 449 BC.
Closing Date and Time: 4 October 2023 at 12:08:00 ET.
All winning bids are subject to a 20% buyer’s fee.
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