★ An exceptional stater from the Aitolian League ★

AITOLIA, Aitolian League. Circa 250-225 BC. Stater (Silver, 25 mm, 10.71 g, 6 h), Korkyrean standard. Head of Apollo to right, wearing oak wreath; below, ΦI. Rev. AITOΛΩN Aitolos, nude but for kausia hung around his neck, his sword slung over his left shoulder and his chlamys draped around his left arm, standing left, right foot set on rock and holding spear in his right hand; in field to left, Δ. BCD Akarnania 444 ( same obverse die ). BMC 10. De Laix 12. Tsangari 736 ( same obverse die ). A bright, sharply struck and exceptional example. Good extremely fine.

From the Kleinkunst Collection, ex Leu 71, 24 October 1997, 166.

The Aitolian League, a confederation of rather remote cities and mountain tribes, gained prominence in particular after its successful defense of Delphi against the Celtic invasion of Brennos in 279 BC. In the following decades, the Aitolians became one of the dominant powers in Greece and the great rival of the Achaian League under Aratos of Sikyon. The mid 3rd century silver coinage of the Aitolian League was struck to the Korkyrean standard. It shows Apollo and Aitolos on the tetradrachms and Artemis and Aitolia on the drachms and likely refers to the annexation of Akarnania in 252/0 BC, as Pausanias reports that the Aitolians dedicated statues of Apollo and Artemis to Delphi following their victory: 'The Aitolian nation, having subdued their neighbors the Akarnanians, sent statues of generals and images of Apollo and Artemis.' (Paus. 10.16.6).