Ancients: SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysius I (406/5-367 BC). AR decadrachm (34mm, 43.10 gm, 10h). NGC AU★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style....

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Euainetos Signed Decadrachm; Ex Sternberg 1982

SICILY. Syracuse. Dionysius I (406/5-367 BC). AR decadrachm (34mm, 43.10 gm, 10h). NGC AU★ 5/5 - 5/5, Fine Style. Reverse die signed by Euainetos, ca. 400 BC. Racing quadriga driven left by charioteer, reins in left hand, kentron in right; Nike flying right above to crown him, military arms, including aspis (shield), greaves, cuirass, and crested Attic helmet, all joined by horizontal spear, ΑΘΛΑ ("prizes") below all in exergue, dotted border / ΣΥ-ΡΑ-ΚΟ-Σ-ΙΩΝ, head of Arethusa left, hair wreathed with barley ears, wearing triple pendant earring and beaded necklace; four dolphins swimming around, EY-AINE (die-engraver's signature) below bottom dolphin. Gallatin (C VII/R IV). HGC 2, 1299. Deeply toned, with a layer of blues flashing across the surfaces. Magnificent high-relief dies, expertly centered on a hefty flan.

From the Ahlden Castle Collection. Ex Künker, Auction 94 (27 September 2004), lot 401; Sternberg, Auction 12 (18 November 1982), lot 76.

Under the brutal but capable Tyrant Dionysius I (406-367 BC), Syracuse had become the wealthiest and most powerful city-state in the Greek world, and chose this moment to introduce the most extravagant coins yet seen - the stunning series of signed silver decadrachms. These huge, impressive coins were struck to pay the Greek mercenaries who flooded Sicily to fight the expanding power of Carthage. The magnificent decadrachms of the master engraver Euainetos have become a paradigm for classical beauty in the 24 centuries since their creation. His Arethusa is the very ideal of feminine beauty, both human and divine, her hair interwoven with a wreath of barley ears symbolizing the agricultural bounty of Sicily. Likewise, the horses pulling his chariot seem to levitate above the ground line, perhaps preparing to draw the charioteer into the heavens themselves.

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