★ Carapace as Human Face ★

SICILY. Akragas. Didrachm (Circa 485-480/78 BC).

Obv: AKPACAΣ.
Sea eagle standing left.
Rev: Crab, with carapace in the form of a human face, within incuse circle.

Westermark, Coinage, Period I, 164; SNG Copenhagen 28; HGC 2, 94.

Historical sources give the date of Akragas' founding as the 50th Olympiad (585-580 BC), placing it among the last Greek colonies established in Sicily. The settlers probably came from Rhodes and Gela, under the command of the ecists Aristonoo and Pistilos, who located a site not far from the sea on the Akragas River, after which the city was named. During the tyranny of Phalaris (570-555 BC) the city built walls and began an expansionist campaign, later continued by Theron (488-473), who won an important battle victory over the Carthaginians at Himera, gaining a vast territory. From that time Akragas experienced enormous political, economic and cultural development, culminating in the period of democratic rule, which was established after the death of Theron. In 406 BC the city was besieged by the Carthaginians, who finally sacked and burned it several times, without however, favoring the establishment of a Punic colony. With Timoleon's victory over Carthage in 339, the city was rebuilt on the same site, then taken back by the Carthaginians and remained under their influence until 210, when it passed into Roman hands at the end of the Second Punic War. The eagle depicted on the obverse of this coin, and on most of the issues of Akragas, is surely to be related to Zeus, to whom the inhabitants dedicated the most important temple in the city. The crab, on the other hand, which appears on all the reverses, is associated with Poseidon, demonstrating the city's great connection with the sea from the time of its founding, which was important for its economy related to maritime trade. On some silver coins, such as this one, a human face appears on the carapace of the crab, most likely depicting the river god Akragas in an original way.

Condition: Extremely fine.

Weight: 8.11 g.
Diameter: 19 mm.