Calabria, Tarentum.   Stater circa 320-315, AV 8.56 g. TAPA Head of Hera l., wearing stephanos, veil, triple pendant earring and pearl necklace; around, three dolphins swimming. Rev. TAPAΣ Taras, nude, on horse standing r., crowning horse with wreath and holding reins; in l. field, Nike flying r., crowning Taras with wreath; in r., dolphin swimming downwards, below, ΣA and star. Vlasto 24 (this obverse die). De Luynes 237 (this obverse die). Fischer-Bossert G11d (this coin illustrated). SNG ANS 1032 (this obverse die). Historia Numorum Italy 954.
Very rare. A superb portrait in the finest style of the period struck on a very
broad flan. Wonderful reddish tone, slightly double struck on reverse,
otherwise about extremely fine

Ex Hirsch XX, 1907, 23; Hess-Leu 28, 1956, 16 and NAC 9, 1996, 30 sales.
Taras, the eponymous hero of Tarentum, was a son of Poseidon and the nymph Satyrion. He is said to have fallen into the sea when his ship was wrecked and was on the point of drowning when a dolphin miraculously appeared and carried him to safety on the shore of southern Italy. The hero celebrated his salvation by founding Tarentum near the site where he came to shore. Taras is most frequently depicted on Tarentine coins riding on the back of a dolphin—although there is some dispute as to whether this type might actually represent Phalanthos, the leader of the historical settlers of Tarentum who was also said to have been saved by a dolphin. On the reverse of this stater, however, he is shown crowning the horse that he rides. The Tarentines were known for their horsemanship in the Classical and Hellenistic periods and Tarentine cavalrymen frequently served abroad as mercenaries. Taras may also appear riding a horse due to his patrimony. Poseidon was not only the god of seas and earthquake, but also the father of horses. There is some dispute as to the identity of the goddess depicted on the obverse. In the absence of any additional attribute beyond a stephane and a veil, she has been variously identified as Hera, Amphitrite, Satyrion, or Persephone. The lack of any symbols related to grain make Persephone seem a little unlikely despite the known importance of the cult of Persephone at Tarentum. Hera is perhaps not implausible, but considering that the head of the goddess is surrounded by dolphins and the type is ultimately inspired by that of Euainetos’ depiction of Arethusa on Syracusan coins, it seems most likely that we are dealing with a water nymph. Amphitrite, the consort of Poseidon is certainly possible, but since the reverse type features Taras it seems at least as likely that the goddess on the obverse represents his mother, Satyrion.