Nomos 18

MACEDON. Terone. Late 5th century BC. Tetrobol (Silver, 13 mm, 2.24 g, 10 h). Satyr crouching to left, holding, with both hands, an oenochoe with fluted sides that is tipped towards him, and into which he looks. Rev. Τ - Ε Goat standing right on ground line; all within incuse square. BMC 9. De Luÿnes 1548. Hardwick group VI, pl. 29, 17. SNG Copenhagen 342. Traité II 1044 and pl. CCCXVIII, 11. Extremely rare. Well struck and clear. Rough surfaces, otherwise, good very fine.

From a European collection, ex Münzen und Medaillen DE 36, 30 May 2012, 208.

This coin bears a fascinating and endearing depiction of a satyr, but we can't be quite sure of what he is doing. Is he preparing to become seriously drunk by looking into an oenochoe to see how full it is before lifting it up and drinking it down? Or is he sadly looking into an almost empty oenochoe, unhappy to see how little wine is left? In any case, the engraver responsible for this obverse die has produced a perfect illustration of the wild Dionysiac revels so characteristic of the northern Greek mythological landscape.