Description: Archaios Numismatics Description: Greek Silver Diobol coin from Thourioi in Lucania, Italy, Circa 400 BC Obverse: Helmeted Head of Athena Right, wearing crested Attic helmet decorated with Skylla. Reverse: Bull butting Right, Tunny / Sturgeon swimming right in exergue. Ethnic ΘΟΥΡ[ΙΩΝ] above. Mint: Thourioi, Lucania Itaiy Size: 11 mm Weight: 1.07 g Provenance: ex-CNG 451,624 --> InventoryID: 51.24 Ref: SNG Cop 1470 Condition: aVF. Porosity. Nice example of this type. As always, Please use the Pictures as your judge as grading is subjective. Notes: Thourioi (Thurium) is important ancient colony of Lucania, Italy and was founded, circa B.C. 443, at a spot not far removed from the site of the deserted Sybaris, where there was a fountain named Thuria. Its rapid rise was doubtless in part due to the same local advantages which must have contributed so largely to the commercial prosperity of the ancient Sybaris, and in part also, perhaps, to a large influx of new colonists from Athens. The head of Athena on these coins is probably that of Athena Skyletria, a sea-goddess whose worship appears to have prevailed at the town of Skylletion (of which, however, we have no coins) as well as on the rocky Iapygian promontory, at Heraclea, and perhaps at other dangerous points on the Bruttian coasts. With regard to the meaning of the bull on the reverse of the coins of Thurium there has been much difference of opinion. Some take it to be a symbol of Dionysos, others to be the Βους θουριος or rushing bull indicative of the fountain Θουρια from which the city took its name, while others again, and perhaps with better reason, look upon it as symbolizing the river Krathis, and as merely an artistic outcome or development of the bull which was the constant type of the archaic coins of Sybaris. Lucania was a region of Southen Italy. It was the land of the Lucani (Lucanians), an Oscan people of Samnite race who migrated southwards about B.C. 400. It extended from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Gulf of Taranto. The coinage of the district consists of — (i) Of the money of the ancient Achaean and other Greek towns, Sybaris, Siris, and Metapontum on the east side, and Laüs and Pyxus on the west, together with that of Velia and Poseidonia. (ii) Of that of the later Greek colonies Thurium and Heraclea. (iii) Of that of the Lucanians after they become partially Hellenized. (iv) Of that of Paestum (Poseidonia), and Copia (Thurium), under the Romans. Some Excerpts From Head, Hist. Num., and Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia We Thank You for stopping in and taking time to look at and bid on our listings. Good Luck Bidding or Buying !We encourage you to click the "See other items" link above in the "Seller Information" area of the listing as well to check out our other items posted. We have a variety of great classical and other ancient numismatic items available. We will be regularly continuing to post for sale and auction a wide variety of Ancient Roman, Greek, and Eastern coins as well as Medieval, Byzantine, and some Modern coins as well.We do combine shipping if buying or winning multiple items. Just contact us before you pay and let us know and we will gladly send an updated invoice with the combined shipping amount. You can also follow us to be notified when new listings are posted. With over 20 years in the numismatics hobby we continue to revel in the excitement that comes from holding each new small piece of history in our hands. We enjoy the enduring sense of history both of the prior uses and users as well as the creativity and necessity that surround the time and place at which these coins were minted and used in circulation.Our aim is to cater not just to the high end collector but also to the hobbyist and the newly initiated and those on a limited budget. Everyone starts the hobby somewhere and where we can share our knowledge to help inform or jumpstart your collecting pleasure we will aim to do so. We want you to love every purchase you make with us and we always stand by the quality and authenticity of all the coins we are selling.
Price: 95 USD
Location: Seattle, Washington
End Time: 2023-11-11T21:36:38.000Z
Shipping Cost: 3.5 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Composition: Silver
Historical Period: Greek (450 BC-100 AD)
Denomination: Diobol
Era: Ancient