Syracuse, Sicily.
432-420 B.C.E.
Silver tetra drachma.
17.1 grams – 22 mm.
Obverse, charioteer riding Biga (two horse chariot), Nike flying above crowing horses.
(Struck in honor of a victory during the Olympic Games in the horse racing chariot competition).
Reverse, the main goddess of Syracuse, Arethusa, wearing a double headband, with dolphins swimming around, Greek script ZYPAKOZION.
VF condition, nice example.
HGC 2, 1316. Boehringer 63.
Authenticity Guaranteed.
🪙 This silver coin from Syracuse, Sicily is a splendid example of the coinage of the Second Republic, which was a period of democracy and prosperity for the city-state. This coin was minted between 432 and 420 B.C.E., during the time of the Peloponnesian War, when Syracuse was involved in the conflict between Athens and Sparta. It is a tetra drachma, or a four drachma, which was the standard silver coin of the Greek world. It weighs 17.1 grams and measures 22 mm in diameter. On the obverse, you can see a charioteer riding a biga, or a two-horse chariot, with Nike, the goddess of victory, flying above and crowning the horses. This design was struck in honor of a victory in the Olympic Games in the horse racing chariot competition, which was a prestigious and popular event in the Greek world. On the reverse, you can see the head of Arethusa, the main goddess of Syracuse, wearing a double headband, with dolphins swimming around. Arethusa was a nymph who was transformed into a spring by the river god Alpheus, who loved her. The spring was located on the island of Ortygia, which was the oldest part of Syracuse. Arethusa was a symbol of the city and its connection to the sea. The coin is in very fine condition, with a nice toning and clear details. It is authenticated by HGC 2, 1316, and Boehringer 63, which are reliable sources of Greek coinage.
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