Nomos 38

KYRENAIKA. Kyrene. Revolt of the Kyrenians, circa 313-312 BC. Drachm (Silver, 15 mm, 4.00 g, 6 h), Attic standard, struck under the magistrate Polyanthes. ΠΟΛIΑΝΘΕΥΣ Head of the nymph Kyrene to right, her hair rolled at the top of her head and with strands falling down the back of her neck, wearing a pendant earring and with a pearl necklace; behind her neck, forepart (?) of a gazelle to right. Rev. ΚΥΡΑ / ΔΑΜΩ A hunter, wreathed and with a petasos hanging behind his neck, wearing a short garment, riding a horse prancing to right and holding the reins with both hands. Apparently unpublished. For a silver Attic Didrachm in Paris with a head of Dionysos of similar style but in the name of Theupheides, see BMC p. lxiii, 170e = Traité II, 3, 1893. For the period in which this coin was struck, see O. Mørkholm, Cyrene and Ptolemy I, Chiron 10, 1980, pp. 145-159 and pls. 1-2 . Extremely rare, and probably unique. With an obverse head of very fine late Classical/early Hellenistic style. Toned. Minor marks, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.

This coin was struck in the name of the people [ΔΑΜΩ = Demos] of Kyrene and is the, at present, unique Attic drachm of an extremely rare series of contemporary didrachms. These coins were struck during a very short-lived revolt against Ptolemaic rule.