Nomos 30

PHOKIS. Delphi. Circa 360 BC. Trihemiobol (Silver, 13 mm, 1.13 g, 6 h). Rhyton to left, in the form of ram's head; below, dolphin swimming to left. Rev. Goat's head, with curved horns and a prominent beard, facing between two ivy leafs and two dolphins swimming upwards, their backs curved in toward the goat's head. BCD Phokis 386 (same dies). SNG France 1291. Svoronos, Delphi 28, 29. Traité III, 414 pl. CCV, 37. A beautifully centered coin with a bold obverse. Slightly porous, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

From a Collection in Switzerland assembled prior to 2005.

The ram's head on the obverse is surely a rhyton in the form of a ram's head, like those on the famous tridrachms. As such it is representative of the Persian spoils dedicated in the sanctuary in Delphi after the defeat of the Persian invasion. The dolphins are allusions to Apollo, and the ram may refer to the legend that oracle was discovered by a shepherd who noticed that his goats became excited by vapours coming from a cleft in the ground at the site of Delphi. He then tried the vapours himself and, when he finally returned home he was still so frisky that his wife, Photini, was forced to knock some sense into him with a Plastis.