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SICULO-PUNIC, “Cape of Melkart”. Circa 350-310 BC. AR Tetradrachm (25mm, 16.70 g, 9h). Probably Lilybaion mint. Charioteer, holding kentron and reins, driving fast quadriga right; above, Nike flying left, crowning charioteer; [RŠ]MLQ[RT] (“Raš Melqart” in Punic) in exergue / Head of female right, hair in sphendone; three dolphins swimming around. Jenkins, Punic 6 (O5/R5); CNP 315; HGC 2, 731. Toned, cleaning scratches, spots of roughness on periphery, graffito on reverse. VF.
Ex Classical Numismatic Group Electronic Auction 201 (17 December 2008), lot 9; Auctiones AG 25 (19 June 1995), lot 346.
Lilybaion, modern day Marsala, was a Punic city in Sicily founded in the fourth century BC. The destruction of the chief Punic stronghold Motya in 397 BC by the Syracusan tyrant Dionysios I left the denizens of Motya without a home and Carthage without a primary military base on the island. In order to remedy both of these issues, the city of Lilybaion was founded by the survivors from Motya. The new port town would become a thriving trade hub and the most important military base in Sicily. The strong new walls that were built to defend the city were able to fend off both Pyrrhos of Epiros and the Romans. It was the last bastion of Punic rule in Sicily during Pyrrhos’ conquest of the island, beating back his attempts to take the city before his campaign unraveled entirely. The Romans placed the city under a nine year siege with numerous assaults during the First Punic War, but they were never able to capture the city and only gained control of it after Carthage’s surrender at the end of the war.
The issue of tetradrachms that are purportedly from Lilybaion were all struck in the later half of the fourth century BC. While many show strong affinity for Syracusan styles from the same period, Jenkins notes that this series relies heavily on prototypes from the Entella series.
The final winners of all CNG Feature Auction 132 lots will be determined at the live online sale that will be held on 18-19 May 2026.
CNG Feature Auction 132 – Session One – Lot 1-318 will be held Monday morning, 18 May 2026 beginning at 9:00 AM ET.
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