CoinsGreek5th century BCE

Tetradrachm of Messana

c. 410 BCE

Description

Obv.: Biga of mules l. driven by nymph Messana; above, Nike flying r. to crown the charioteer; in exergue, two dolphins. Border of dots. Rev.: MESSANION (retrograde). Hare running l.; below, head of Pan l. Border of dots.

Classification

Coins

Technique

Struck

Medium

Silver

Culture

Greek

Period

Classical period, High

Century

5th century BCE

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics

Dimensions

17.1 g

Provenance

Arthur Evans [1], London (by 1898), sold; [through Sotheby, London, “Evans sale,” January 20, 1898, lot 66]. Charles Stanford, (by 1907), sold; [through Sotheby, London, “collection of a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries sale,” December 6, 1907, lot 33]. [Glendining, London, “Strickland and others” sale, April 25-26, 1939, lot 141]. [Münzhandlung, Basel], sold; to Arthur Stone Dewing [2], Cambridge, MA (from 1945), lent; to Fogg Art Museum (from 1965) 1. Arthur John Evans (1851-1941) 2. Arthur Stone Dewing (1880-1971). Bought on February 13, 1945 according to Dewing’s inventory card.