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FM22592

Calabria, Tarentum, silver Nomos

Calabria, Tarentum, silver Nomos, c.281-272 BC, Arethon, Sa-, and Cas-, magistrates, youth on horseback right, crowning horse, ΣΑ in upper left field, ΑΡΕ-ΘΩΝ in two lines below horse, rev. Taras on dolphin left, holding tripod in right hand; ΤAPAΣ behind, CAΣ below, 7.86g, 1h (Vlasto 666-7; SNG ANS 1046-50; HN Italy 957). Extremely fine.

Tarentum was founded by colonists from Sparta in the 8th century BC. In this series the dolphin-rider is variously described as the son of the god Poseidon, Taras, after whom the city was named, who was shipwrecked and saved by a dolphin which his father had sent to rescue him; or Phalanthos, the leader of the Spartan colonists, who was also shipwrecked and rescued by a dolphin; or an unnamed oekist, the term given to the lead-colonist who had authority to choose which site to colonize and direct the colony's activities in its early stages. The horse-riders are depicted at different ages, some with armour suggesting they are warriors, and others with laurel wreaths suggesting they are the winners at important celebratory games.

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