Nomos 2

SICILY, Syracuse. Second Democracy. 466-405 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 17.31 g 11), struck circa 430-420. Male charioteer, wearing a long chiton and holding a goad in his right hand and the reins in both, driving a walking quadriga to right; above, Nike flying right to crown the horses; in exergue, olive branch. Rev. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΟΝ Head of Arethusa to right, wearing a double spiral earring and a simple necklace, and with her hair bound in a sakkos ornamented with a patterned band over her forehead; before Arethusa’s head, two dolphins swimming downwards and two swimming upwards. Boehringer 652 (V330/R447). Lightly toned and with an unusually beautiful head on the reverse. Obverse lightly struck, otherwise, extremely fine.

From the Patrick H. C. Tan Collection.

During the 420s the Syracusan engravers began showing Arethusa wearing a sakkos, or ornamental net, over her hair; this must have reflected contemporary fashions. Some of the dies are really quite beautiful but others have a ‘hardness’ about them that makes Arethusa look somewhat severe and unpleasant. This die, however, shows us a young woman with a hint of a smile who looks as if she is intelligent, attractive and rather kind. Here we have a real person, not an abstract goddess: she was someone the die cutter knew.