Summary
A silver diobol coin from the town of Metapontum in Lucania, Italy circa 300 BC
Mint: Metapontum
Obverse Description
Head of Zeus Ammon facing left, beardless and wearing horn of Ammon
Reverse Description
Ear of barley with small owl on leaf on left side. In field right, META
Edge Description
Plain
Significance
Zeus was the Greek King of the Gods and God of sky and thunder. Ammon was the city god of Thebes whose worship spread through North Africa then into the northern Mediterranean lands. In Greece and Greek colonies Ammon was equated with Zeus but depicted on coins with a curling ram's horn.
More Information
-
Collection Names
-
Collecting Areas
-
Acquisition Information
Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Mr Lincoln, Eugene von Guerard, 15 Mar 1976
-
Date Issued
circa 300 BC
-
Issued By
-
Previous Collection
Eugene von Guerard, Melbourne, Greater Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, pre 1880
Listed in Eugene von Guerard's catalogue, vol.1, p.8. Purchased by von Guerard from Mr Lincoln of London for 1 shilling 6 pence. -
Deity Depicted
-
Denomination
-
Material
Silver
-
Axis
09
-
Classification
-
Category
-
Discipline
-
Type of item
-
Dimensions
12 mm (Outside Diameter), 0.9 g (Weight)
-
Shape
Round
-
References
BMC. Italy p.258 no.157 Sear 419
[Book] Poole, Reginald S. 1873. A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Italy., 258 Pages
[Catalogue] Pullin, Ruth. 2011. Nature Revealed: Eugene von Guerard.
[Book] Sear, David R. 1978. Greek Coins and Their Values, Europe. I., 48 Pages
