Sicily, Decadrachm, 405-367 BC

Charioteer, holding kentron in outstretched right hand and reins in left, driving quadriga galloping left; above, Nike flying right, crowning charioteer with vegetal crown held in outstretched hands; below exergue line, military trophy composed of shield, greaves, cuirass, crested Attic helmet on the right, all connected by horizontal spear; [AΘΛA below].

Head of Arethusa left, wearing wreath of grain ears, triple-pendant earring and single-strand pearl necklace; ΣY-PA-KO-Σ-IΩN above between her locks; four dolphins swimming around her, [EY-AINE under the dolphin below the trunk of her neck].

Decadrachm of Syracuse minted between 405 and 367 B.C. under the tyranny of Dionysius the Elder, with dies engraved and signed by Euainetos and of the highest rarity in terms of mintage, sales and denomination. A number of Syracuse coins have the exceptional feature of having been struck with dies signed by their engraver, an extremely rare occurrence for the period. In Sicily, and particularly in Syracuse, two engravers are well known: Kimôn and Euainetos. Our example was engraved by the latter, whose signature is located, for this type, below the dolphin and the truncation of the neck of Arethusa. The flan of our specimen is short and therefore does not reveal his name. However, Albert Gallatin's study of the dies in 1930 attests to its presence. According to the author, the die combination used for our coin is R.IV/C.VII. Note that he chose to place the portrait of Arethusa (C.VII) on the obverse and the quadriga (R.IV) on the reverse, an order that we will not follow in our analysis. The obverse die - R.IV - is worn, but recognizable by its oblique break that extends to the left of the horses' snout to the exergue line. Similarly, the reverse die - C.VII - features line-shaped breaks on Arethusa's face. One starts from her forehead and runs down to her nose, while the other, lighter, is on the bottom of her hair and the nape of her neck. A third, more imposing, die break is located between the trunk of her neck and the dolphin. The ethnic, which can be seen at the top of her skull between the strands of her hair, also enables us to identify the dies used thanks to its decomposition and the placement of the letters. In 1930, 11 of these dies were known to exist, most of them in public or private collections (Berlin and Cambridge museums, collections of a Parisian, Feuardent, Newell and Van Kaufman). Moreover only four have been seen at auction in the last twenty years! The obverse die (quadriga) is associated with seven reverse dies (Arethusa), whereas our reverse die is associated with only two obverse dies: it is therefore rare! Beyond the signature, the engravings made by Euainetos and his "atelier" are recognizable by their style. Remarkably beautiful, it is recognized as a true masterpiece of Antiquity, making coins struck using these dies extremely popular and highly prized by collectors. The face of Arethusa is serene, with fine, pleasing features. The earring and necklace enhance her face, while her realistic hair is composed of voluminous locks and curls, some of which flutter in the wind. Without a net, she is crowned with ears of corn, a characteristic feature of Euainetos' style. This softness of line can also be seen on the dolphins. Of the four, only one - the one behind Arethusa's neck - is fully visible. The other three, at 6 o'clock, 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock, can only be distinguished by small elements at the edge of the flan. The visible dolphin is graceful and has an interesting volume, giving us the impression that at any moment it could wake up and swim in the surface of our coin. The obverse, on the other hand, is dynamic and spirited. The horses in the quadriga have their legs raised and bent, and are depicted in full race. They do not touch the ground, and the tail of one of them, almost horizontal, flies in the wind. The charioteer is also in a dynamic position, leaning forward, stretching out his arm while holding the reins in a firm grip. Nike is shown in full motion, carried through the air. The drape of her clothes emphasizes the dynamics of her body in action. Her outstretched wings and arms convey the precise moment when she is about to crown the charioteer. The engraver seems to have captured a precise, frozen moment in time: that which precedes the charioteer's victory. The contrast between the two sides of the decadrachm is therefore striking. Euainetos and his "atelier" worked from the last years of the 5th century BC, and continued their work until the death of Dionysus II - known as Denys the Younger - son of Dionysus I, in 343 BC. The issue of such a module with this iconography is therefore closely linked to the historical context in which it was minted. Dionysius the Elder (c. 467 BC - 361 BC) became strategos of Syracuse after having had first his predecessors and then his colleagues deposed, while the city was in conflict with the Carthaginians. Taking advantage of a plague epidemic, he concluded a truce with them and took the opportunity to build an immense 27km protective wall around Syracuse, as well as the castle of Euryale, his residence. He also developed his army, asserted his power and called in the poliorcetes - strategists specializing in sieges - who improved and built new devices dedicated to this purpose. Syracuse remained at war with Carthage for the duration of its tyranny - with only a few rare moments of peace. It was also during this period that Syracuse reached its zenith. It was the most important city in Magna Graecia and one of the most populated in the Greek world. These major innovations and changes are possible reasons why Dionysius I would have minted decadrachms, an important and rarely encountered denomination. Their purpose would have been to facilitate payment for these certainly colossal projects. Syracuse was not only in conflict with Carthage, but also with Athens. Allied with Sparta, Syracuse suffered the effects of the Peloponnesian War. Segesta, in conflict with Selinunte, Syracuse's ally at the time, asked for help from the Athenians, who sent an expedition in 415 BC. The siege of Syracuse that followed in 413 BC resulted in the "Disaster of the Asinaro", a crushing defeat for Athens at the hands of Syracuse's Spartan allies led by Gyllipos. To celebrate this victory, coins were minted and festivities organized. According to this interpretation, the charioteer on the obverse was preparing to win a race held during the games honoring the Syracusan triumph. Similarly, the exergue is closely linked to victory and war. On the one hand, we find a military trophy. This is a support on which military equipment taken from defeated enemies is placed to testify to victory. Here, the helmet is Attic and the round shield is the hoplon used by hoplites. On the other hand, the obverse of our type features the legend "AΘΛA" (athla), which refers to the lexicon of combat and struggle. It is out of field on our coin due to the short flan. The issue of our decadrachm is certainly an opportunity to celebrate Syracuse's military victories, particularly over Athens and, to a lesser extent, Carthage. An absolutely remarkable decadrachm for its denomination, the artist's signature and its rarity, it is elevated to the rank of artistic masterpiece thanks to its beauty and refinement. Extremely popular, sought-after and a true testament to the historical context in which it was minted, it is a highly prized possession and a must-have! Gallatin, dies R.IV/C.VII; R.Scavino 14 (D5/R5); Dewing 883 (these dies); HGC 2, 1299 (these dies); Gulbenkian 313 (these dies); SNG ANS 365 (these dies); SNG Lloyd 1412 (same dies); Rhousopoulos collection (Hirsch, XIII, 428) (these dies); Pozzi pl. XX, 616 (same obverse die) and BMC Sicily 175-178 var. (same die with quadriga). Faune d'Argent Collection.

[AΘΛA]

ΣY-PA-KO-Σ-IΩN // [EY-AINE]

42 gr