Nomos 7

CYCLADES, Naxos. Late 3rd-mid 2nd century BC. Didrachm (Silver, 7.83 g 1), Leokr(ates), c. 250 BC. Head of bearded Dionysos to right, wearing ivy wreath. Rev. ΝΑΞΙ / ΛΕΩΚΡ Wreathed krater on a high foot with low handles; to right, thyrsos. Nicolet-Pierre, Cratérophores 2 (D2-R2, same dies, but this piece unlisted). Very rare. Beautifully struck, of unusually fine quality and lightly toned. Virtually as struck.

From the Spina Collection, ex Numismatica Ars Classica 27, 12 May 2004, 171 and Leu 65, 21 May 1996, 179.

This head of Dionysos has a very curious, almost hieratic quality, which makes it look as if it were an archaic cult statue that was ‘modernized’ by the die cutter. It does, in fact, have an almost Babylonian feeling to the way the beard is made, and the staring look is far from what one would expect in a contemporary Hellenistic portrait.