| Savoca Numismatik GmbH & Co. KG > Online Auction 188 | Black | Auction date: 17 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 3 Price realized: 4,000 EUR (Approx. 4,398 USD) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: Sicily. Syracuse. Agathokles 317-289 BC. Tetradrachm AR 26 mm, 17,47 g Head of Arethusa left, wreathed with grain, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace; three dolphins around, NI below neck truncation / ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, charioteer driving racing quadriga left, reins in left hand, kentron in right; triskeles counterclockwise above, AN monogram in exergue. good very fine, some corrosion in the field Ierardi 36; SNG ANS 635; SNG München vergl. 1209. Agathocles, born in 361 BC in Thermae Himeraeae (modern Termini Imerese), Sicily, was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse from 317 to 289 BC and the self-styled king of Sicily from 304 to 289 BC. Initially, he learned his father's trade as a potter but later joined the army with his brother Antander. He faced exile twice for attempting to overthrow the oligarchical party in Syracuse. In 317 BC, Agathocles returned with mercenaries, overthrew the oligarchs, and established himself as the ruler of Syracuse. He built a formidable army and fleet, extending his rule over much of Sicily. War with Carthage ensued, marked by defeats and victories. Agathocles landed in Africa, defeated Carthaginians, and attempted to isolate Carthage by forming alliances and capturing coastal towns. In 306 BC, after making peace with Carthage, Agathocles proclaimed himself king of Sicily. Despite turbulence in his later years, plagued by ill-health and family disputes, he maintained control over the Greek cities in Sicily. His death in 289 BC marked the end of his reign. Agathocles married three times, had several children, and left a complex legacy as a skilled military leader and ruler, known for both cruelty and mild governance. He even restored the Syracusan democracy on his deathbed, opposing a hereditary monarchy. Starting price: 1 EUR |  |
