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Stellar Syracusan Silver Tetradrachm

Aguilar, Jeff

Student No. 103 817 785

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Silver tetradrachm signed by Eukleidas during the rule of Dionysius I in Syracuse, Sicily

circa 405-400 BC. Weight: 16.99g. Diameter: 25mm.

Obverse: quadriga driven by female charioteer raising a flaming torch; Nike flying above

to crown her. Ear of barley below.

Reverse: Head of Athena wearing triple-crested, ornamented Attic helmet; four dolphins

swim around head.1

Atypical of Syracusan coinage at the time, Athena is depicted rather than Arethusa, a

nymph on the Syracuse harbor island of Ortygia, on this finely struck coin by Sicilian engraver

Eukleidas.2

Such deviation boasts artistic and historical significance as this coin exhibits the

typical Sicilian tetradrachm standard for all other respectsquadriga on obverse and four

dolphins on reverse.3

In a historical sense the interchanging of heads suggests different interpretations to a

single commemoration, the Syracusan victory over an Athenian invasion in 415 BC.4

Contrastingly, the placement of the four dolphins that signify Syracuse may lead one to view the

head of Arethusa wearing Athenas helmet. In addition, it is worth noting that Syracusans also

1Coin information website (http://www.acsearch.info/record.html?id=469073)

2Seltman, Charles. Greek Coins (London, 1933), p. 74.

3Kraay, Colin M. Greek Coins and History (London, 1969), p. 22.

4Gardner, Percy.A History of Ancient Coinage (Oxford, 1918), p. 405.

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worshipped Athena whose temple lies on the island of Ortygia.5

Nevertheless, the dolphins

featured on the reverse fits accordingly regardless of a viewers notion of the featured profile.

The tetradrachm is very definitive of Dionysius epoch. Obverse elements solidify his

tyrant status at time of minting while the reverse serves to commemorate. Amongst the crisis

years of the late 5th

century and the Carthagian sphere of influence on Sicily, Dionysius survivedand occupied Ortygia.

6The quadriga charioteer symbolizes the pride of the victorious tyrant

whose rampantly galloping horses allude to the hostile atmosphere Dionysius faces with

Syracusans and Carthagian threat. The ear of barley found below define the socioeconomic

revolution the tyrant amassed; redistribution of land and liberation of slaves as these new

citizens became loyal supporters, as well as grain imports to sustain a waging war with

Carthage.7

Overall, the rule of Dionysius showed considerable change and development in which

this mint embarked upon a period of heightened activityprevious Syracusan tetradrachms

featured a tiny head of Arethusa and Nike absent above the chariot.8

Alternatively, much significance lies also to artistry rather than history. This issue of thesilver tetradrachm was indeed special among the usual Sicilian coin of the 5

thcentury; not only

ambiguity of face but also the portraiture of Athena facing the viewer and not profiled. In fact,

this reverse die was the very first Syracusan issue of a head facing the viewer.9

Athena, facing

three-quarters detailed with palm embellishments and wave-like hair, is a masterpiece for

engraver Eukleidas and a distinctive tribute for Syracuse.

Word Count: 494 (excluding citations)

5Lendering, Jona. Syracuse: History

http://www.livius.org/su-sz/syracuse/syracuse_history01.html(Jan. 2008)6

Lendering. Sicily

http://www.livius.org/sh-si/sicily/sicily04.html(Jan. 2008)7

Same as above.8

Kraay (1969), p. 23.9

Kraay, Colin M.Archaic and Classical Greek Coins (Methuen, 1976), p. 222.

http://www.livius.org/su-sz/syracuse/syracuse_history01.htmlhttp://www.livius.org/su-sz/syracuse/syracuse_history01.htmlhttp://www.livius.org/sh-si/sicily/sicily04.htmlhttp://www.livius.org/sh-si/sicily/sicily04.htmlhttp://www.livius.org/sh-si/sicily/sicily04.htmlhttp://www.livius.org/su-sz/syracuse/syracuse_history01.html