Nomos 10

BOEOTIA, Thebes. c. 405-395 BC. Stater (Silver, 20mm, 11.91 g). Boeotian shield. Rev. Θ - Ε Bearded head of Dionysos, three-quarters facing, turned slightly to right, wearing ivy wreath. BCD Boiotia 457 (this coin). BMC 104. Jameson 1164. Very rare. Attractively toned and with an elegant and serene head of Dionysos of the finest Classical style. Good very fine.

Ex Nomos 7, 15 May 2013, 87, from the BCD Collection, Triton IX, 10 January 2006, 457 and ex Bank Leu 30, 28 April 1982, 113.

This is one of the most magnificent of all the coins struck by Thebes. It shows the city’s patron in an exceptionally calm and noble way, with no hint of dissipation. It also illustrates a particularly Theban manner of making a facing portrait: we see the head without even a hint of neck, thus giving it a sacral disembodied character of great power. Somewhat intriguingly, and emphasizing the importance of this type of portrait, profile heads are never shown this way at Thebes.