Του Γιώργου Λεκάκη
Δεκάδραχμο Συρακουσών υπογεγραμμένο από τον Κίμωνα (φέρει υπογραφή ΚΙ/Μ), του 405 – 400 π.Χ. (AR 43,21 γραμμ.) με ηνίοχο, κρατώντας ηνία και τέθριππο άρμα και ιπτάμενη Νίκη να τον στεφανώνει… Στο έξεργο, στρατιωτικά εξαρτήματα για τα ΑΘΛΑ.
ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΤΕΡΑ για τις ΣΥΡΑΚΟΥΣΕΣ ΣΙΚΕΛΙΑΣ, ΕΔΩ.
Στην β΄ όψι γράφει: ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ. Εικονίζει κεφαλή της νύμφης Αρέθουσας, με
ενώτιο και περιδέραιο με χάντρες, κυματιστά μαλλιά δεμένα μπροστά και άμβυξ[1], πάνω
στον οποίο είναι πιασμένα πίσω με δίχτυ. Γύρω της τρία δελφίνια, ενώ ένα
τέταρτο κάνει επαφή στον λαιμό της.
Έργο διάσημου Σικελού χαράκτη…
Γιατί το αναφέρω;
Διότι… ξεπλουλήθηκε σε δημοπρασία της NAC(*) / Auction 138, lot 88, για περίπου 300.000 ευρώ…
ΠΗΓΗ: ΑΡΧΕΙΟΝ ΠΟΛΙΤΙΣΜΟΥ, 22.5.2023.
- Rizzo ol. L, 1 pl. LII, 1. Weber
1611. Regling, Syrakus 1. Gillet 644. AMB 478. Gulbenkian 301. Dewing 868. SNG
Lloyd 1409. Kraay-Hirmer pl. 42, 116. Jongkees 1.
(*) Ex NAC sale 13, 1998, formerly exhibited at the Antikenmuseum Basel,
478. Privately purchased from Leo Mildenberg in December 1959 (sold as ex Lloyd
collection but not in the SNG). From the Athos and Dina Moretti collection and
an Exceptional Collection assembled between the early 70s and late 90s.
As part of the late phase, of the ongoing Peloponnesian War (431 - 404 BC), in 415 BC the Athenians made the ill-fated decision to strike at the Peloponnesian grain supply and hopefully expand their empire by dispatching a naval expedition to Sicily. The primary target of the expedition was the conquest of Syracuse, the preeminent Dorian Greek city of the grain-producing island.
Following an initial battle, the Syracusans endured a protracted siege
that involved the construction of extensive wall networks by both besiegers and
besieged. At last, after a series of Athenian tactical blunders, in September
415 BC, a Syracusan breakout resulted in the destruction and capture of the
Athenian ships and the slaughter of the much of the expeditionary force at the
Assinarus River. The Syracusans had achieved a great victory over the
Athenians. In the aftermath, Syracuse was flooded with silver from the sale of
plunder taken from the Athenians and from the sale of captured Athenians and
their allies into slavery. It is believed that the outpouring of new Syracusan
silver coinage in the last decade of the fifth century BC were struck from all
of this silver that came unexpectedly to Syracuse. At the same time that
Syracusan victory and the silver plunder provided the means and opportunity for
a new coinage, it also seems to have sparked a great outpouring of artistic
genius and a clear pride in the expression of that genius. In this period,
commonly known as the age of the signing artists, Syracusan engravers
experimented and reached the pinnacle of their art, frequently signing their
dies with their names. The present coin is the much sought after and fabulously
desirable decadrachm of Syracuse with types engraved by the Syracusan master
engraver known only by the name Kimon. His signature K/IM is clearly visible on
the ampyx. Taking a large flan as his canvas, Kimon here reimagines the
standard obverse type of Syracusan silver coinage in classical style. The old
slow quadriga of the preceding coinage—inherited from the days of the
Deinomenid tyranny—now appears hurling towards the finish line, presumably at
the Olympic games, as the charioteer goads the horses to their limits and Nike
appears to crown him with the laurels. A panoply of armor is depicted in the
exergue and labeled in Greek to identify it as the athla (prizes), although
here the usual label is off flan. While such prizes might be appropriate for
the winner of a chariot race, one wonders whether there is not a touch of
allegory intended in the type, considering the probable source of the silver.
The chariot and charioteer may represent Syracuse as the victor in its recent
contest with Athens while the prize panoply represents the spoils taken in that
contest and used to finance the coinage. Kimon’s head of Arethusa on the
reverse is universally applauded as a masterpiece of Greek numismatic art. The
face is a paradigm of classical perfection framed by incredibly detailed
treatment of the hair, the lotus blossom of the nymph’s earring, and the net
that holds her hair in place. The engraver also shows some special playfulness
with his design on this particular reverse die. Whereas the dolphin below
Arethusa’s neck truncation is usually depicted swimming to the left with the
curve of its body following that of the truncation, here Kimon has added extra
depth by having this dolphin swimming out from behind the truncation.
[1] Άμβυξ ἄμβικος ἄμβικα > ἄμβη, ἄμβων = ἔκπωμα,
ποτήριον (φοξόχειλος κύλιξ), χύτρα, κάδος, σκέπασμα ἀποστακτικοῦ λέβητος / λαμπίκος,
ὀμφαλός – βλ. Διοσκ. 5. 110, Ἀθήν. 480D, Ποσειδώνιος παρ’ Ἀθήν. 152C, Σύλλ. Ἐπιγρ.
3071. 7, Ἡσύχ. LS.
ΣΧΟΛΙΑ
ΣΧΟΛΙΑ ΜΕΣΩ Facebook