Lot 1776

Description

Ionia, Smyrna, (c.190-175 B.C.), AE 20, (6.45 g), Magistrate Aristoxenos, son of Apollonides, obv. laureate head of Apollo to right, rev. the poet Homer seated to left with the Magistrates names Herodes and Archios, to right **SMURNAIWN* above, to left in two lines magistrates names, (S.4571, NC 1927 p.96 No.325, BMC 67 var.(p.243) (Magistrate), SNG Cop.1124 var.). Choice dark brown patina, nearly extremely fine and rare in this condition, with a superb figure of the seated Homer.

See article in Studia Paulo Naster Oblata I Numismatica Antiqua, "Homer on Coins from Smyrna" by C. Heyman. The author maintains that this coin's reverse is linked and represents the Homerea, a famous statue of Homer of Symrna mentioned by Strabo.