LUCANIA. Sybaris. Circa 550-510 BC. Obol (Silver, 10.5 mm, 0.41 g, 12 h). YM Bull standing left, his head turned back to right. Rev. Large M above V; on the left and right, two pellets. HN III 1739. SNG ANS 854. Clear well-centered. Some minor marks, otherwise, good very fine.

From the "Collection sans Pareille" of Ancient Greek Fractions.

The city of Sybaris, founded c. 720 BC by colonists from Achaia and the city of Troezen in the Argolid, became extremely wealthy - thus, today the word sybarite refers to someone who drenches himself with ostentatious luxury. In any case, the city was sacked and partially destroyed by Kroton in 510/509, many of its inhabitants were killed or fled to Laos and Poseidonia (colonies of Sybaris). The city continued as a minor possession of Kroton until 476 when it revolted, was defeated and depopulated. In 452/451 it was refounded again by Sybarite refugees with the help of Poseidonia: the Krotoniates threw them out in 446/445. With the help of settlers from Athens and from some cities in the Peloponnesos those Sybarites refounded a new city of Sybaris in early 445; but they soon came to blows: the remaining Sybarites were thrown out and fled to the new city of Sybaris-on-the-Traeis, while the remaining settlers, in 444/443, refounded the city as Thourioi.