Greek Coins Sicily, Naxos

Tetradrachm circa 415, AR 27 mm, 17.43 g. Bearded head of Dionysus r., hair bound with stephane adorned with ivy-wreath. Rev. NAΞION Bearded, naked Silenus, with pointed ears, ruffled hair and long tail, squatting on rock, facing; r. leg raised and l. folded to the side. He turns l. towards cantharus in his r. hand, while holding thyrsos in his l. In l. field, ivy plant creeps upwards, behind which his long tail is visible. Rizzo pl. XXXVIII, 19 (these dies). SNG Copenhagen 493 (these dies). Kent-Hirmer pl. 3, 8-9. SNG Lockett 843 (these dies). SNG ANS 524 (these dies). AMB 386 (this obverse die). Cahn, Naxos 103.
Very rare and in exceptional condition for the issue, possibly the finest specimen in private hands. A magnificent portrait of superb early Classical style struck in high relief. Light iridescent tone and good extremely fine

From a Swiss Private collection and notarised in Switzerland prior to 2005.
Founded in 736 BC by colonists from Euboian Chalkis, Naxos was one of the oldest Greek settlements on Sicily. As time progressed, Sicily came to be home to many Chalkidian and Dorian Greek colonies, which often came into conflict with one another. Thus, when the Athenians determined that an assault on Dorian Syracuse could be a key to victory in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) the Naxians lent their enthusiastic support. Upon their arrival in 415 BC, the Naxians furnished the Athenians with supplies and the use of their city as a base for prosecuting the war against Syracuse. They remained staunch supporters of the Athenian cause through the Syracusan campaign until the defeat and massacre of the Athenian fleet at the Assinaro River (413 BC) brought it to a horrific end. This particular Naxian issue was probably struck at the beginning of the disastrous campaign and is very highly regarded in the Sicilian series for the quality of its artistry. The exceptionally well-preserved Hirsch specimen in the collection of the Royal Library of Belgium has been described and published as "the Coin of Coins". The types follow established models in the coinage of Naxos, but are now infused with the dynamism of a high classical style, throwing off the stiffer archaic-influenced style of earlier issues. The head of Dionysus is more naturalistic and human, whereas his visage on earlier issues tended to include elements familiar from the masks of Greek tragedy. The squatting Silenus, however, is a skilfully executed masterpiece of Greek numismatic art.