Calabria, Tarentum
Nomos circa 510-450, AR 7.96 g. TARAS retrograde Oecist, naked, seated on dolphin r., with l. arm outstretched; below, gilled snail shell. Rev. Female head (Satyra ?) r., hair bound with broad band. Vlasto 153 (these dies). SNG Ashmolean 207 (these dies). AMB 76 (these dies). Fischer-Bosset 131c (this coin). Historia Numorum Italy 838.
Extremely rare, less than ten specimens known of this type, and among the finest specimens
known. A very interesting representation of Satyra perfectly struck and centred on
a full flan. Lovely old cabinet tone, minor flan cracks and the usual flan
crack on obverse, otherwise good very fine / about extremely fine

Ex Leu 2, 1972, 15; NFA V, 1978, 10; Sotheby’s, New York, 21-22 June 1990, lot 176 and New York XXVII, 2012, Prospero, 15 sales.
According to Antiochus' account, one of two gathered by Strabo (together with that of Ephorus), at the time of the Messenian war (dated at the second half of the VII century BC), those among the Lacedaemonians who did not take part in the expeditionary force were declared slaves and named Helots. All children born during the expedition were called Parthenae and stripped of their political rights. However, they did not accept their fate and chose one of their number, Phalantus, as leader. They plotted a mutiny against the Spartiathes, timed for the Sparthiathe festivity of the Hyacinthiae (in honour of Hyachinthos, in the shrine of Apollo Amicleus). Phalantus was to signal the revolt by putting a leather cap on his head. However, the Spartiathes learned of the scheme, and the herald forbade him to wear the hat. Their conspiracy uncovered, the Parthenae fled, headed by Phalantus and, in compliance with the orders of the Delphian oracle, set forth to found the settlement of Tarentum. Our coin offers an intriguing detail by including a purple-shell instead of the usual pecten as part of the marine scenery surrounding Phalantus' crossing on a dolphin's back. In antiquity, Tarentum was renowned for the production of the very valuable dye, with iridescent shades, which has left an echo even in Horace (Epist., II 1, 207): Lana Tarentino violas imitata veneno ("The wools that, with the dyes of Taras, reproduce the colour of violets").