Lot 4322

Description

Sicily, Syracuse, Time of Dionysios the Elder, (405-380 B.C.), gold fifty litrae or decadrachm, (2.89 g), by Euainetos, issued 400-390 B.C., obv. laureate male head to left of river god Anapos, dotted border, around **SURAKO SION*, rev. **SURAKSION* between two fine exergue lines, free horse prancing right in incuse square field, (S.951, SNG ANS 340 [same dies], D.Berend "Le Monnayage d'or de Syracuse sous Denys I, [Atti del VIII Convegno del Centro Internazionale di Studi Numismatici [Naples 1983] No. 1). Toned, good very fine and rare.

Ex Classical Numismatic Group Mail Bid Sale 57 April 4, 2001 [lot 112] and J. Pierpont Morgan Collection, sold Stack's, New York, 14 September 1983, [lot 5] and Noble Numismatics Sale 86 (lot 3279).

The source for some of Dionysios' gold was, indirectly, the Persian satrap Pharnabazos. Pharnabazos supported Dionysios' opponent, Hermokrates. When Hermokrates was killed in battle against Dionysios' forces in 407, his Persian gold was taken by the victor to fund other campaigns.