Agathokles - AE 22mm
Obverse
Name/Title
Agathokles - AE 22mmEntry/Object ID
C2015-G11-86Description
A coin of King Agathokles of Syracuse featuring the goddess Artemis.Context
Agathokles of Syracuse (r. 317-289 BCE) was the first Hellenistic king of Sicily. He had three distinct phases of coinage throughout his rule, and the winged thunderbolt was the most prominent symbol of the latest phase. The iconography was deeply symbolic for Agathokles as it was the emblem of Zeus Eleutherios (Zeus of Freedom), whose cult was closely connected to the overthrowing of corrupt rulers. Prior to installing himself as king, Agathokles overthrew the oligarchic government in Syracuse. Furthermore, the winged thunderbolt was thought to represent victory over enemy nations. Agathokles spent a portion of his reign at war with Carthage, a Phoenician city in North Africa. The choice of Artemis on the obverse can be explained by the fact that the goddess was one of the patron deities of Syracuse, worshipped in the city since the Archaic period (800-480 BCE). Here, she is identified as soteira (savior) of the city.Collection
Hellenistic GreeceMintage
Mint
SyracuseDate made
317 BCE - 289 BCETime Period
HellenisticPlace of Origin
City
SyracuseRegion
SicilyManufacture Method
StruckCoin Details
Obverse
Description
Head of Artemis, right, quiver over shoulder.Transcription
ΣΩΤΕΙΡΑTranslation
SaviourReverse
Description
Winged thunderbolt.Transcription
ΑΓΑΘΟΚΛΕΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΟΣTranslation
King AgathoklesIssuing Authority
AgathoklesDenomination
AE 22mmEthnography
Cultural Region
Region
SicilyCulture/Tribe
Greek - Hellenistic