Summary

Didrachm issued by Neapolis, Campania, Italy, Ancient Greek States, circa 250 BC
Minted by Neapolis

Obverse Description

Head of water-nymph facing right wearing a diadem, earring and necklace

Reverse Description

Man headed bull walking to right, head facing. Nike flying right above the bull is crowning it with a wreath. Below the bull in the exergue wear has removed most letters of the word NEOPOLITES

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

Dated to or just before the First Punic War (264-241 BC). The man-headed bull on the reverse was a river-god called Achelous who appeared as a suitor to a mortal in a myth in the form of a bull.

More Information

  • Collection Names

    Eugene von Guerard Collection

  • Collecting Areas

    Numismatics & Philately

  • Acquisition Information

    Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 15 Mar 1976

  • Date Issued

    circa 250 BC

  • Issued By

    Neapolis, Campania, Italy, Ancient Greek States, circa 250 BC
    Originally catalogued by Eugene von Guerard as being from Nola - identified as the same type but with the reverse exergue legend NOLAION - under a microscope you can reads LIT from NEOPOLITES (all letters in Greek but these cannot be used here yet). Catalogue Vol.1 p. 6. See also NU 2007

  • Previous Collection

    Eugene von Guerard, pre 1880

  • Denomination

    Didrachm

  • Material

    Silver

  • Axis

    12

  • Classification

    Coins, Ancient greek states - campania, Working strikes

  • Category

    History & Technology

  • Discipline

    Numismatics

  • Type of item

    Object

  • Dimensions

    20 mm (Outside Diameter), 6.749 g (Weight)

  • Shape

    Round

  • References

    BMC. Italy p. 96 No.230 SNG. ANS Part 1 nos. 293 etc. (see No. 550 etc. for the Nola type identified by von Guerard)
    [Book] Poole, Reginald S. 1873. A Catalogue of the Greek Coins in the British Museum, Italy., 96 Pages
    [Book] Crawford, Michael H. 1985. Coinage & Money under the Roman Republic., 34-35 Pages
    [Catalogue] Pullin, Ruth. 2011. Nature Revealed: Eugene von Guerard.

  • Keywords

    Minotaurs, Mythical Animals