Description
PersephoneTetradrachm
This coin is a silver Greek tetradrachm minted Syracuse, Sicily 317-289 BC.
The obverse shows head of Persephone right, wreathed in grain wearing earring and necklace. On the reverse Nike standing half right, raising trophy of captured arms, hammer in right hand, nail in left hand, triskeles at feet on left.
Agathokles was the last of the larger-than-life rulers of Syracuse, but he was not merely given the right to the throne. He was born in Thermae in 361 BCE to a Greek manufacturer of pottery, but he quickly tired of his father’s trade. Upon leaving home and moving to Syracuse, he became an officer within the army, establishing himself as a skillful leader.
This coin was struck towards the height of Agathokles’ power and proudly displays his greatest achievements. The reverse shows a gracefully standing, winged figure of Nike – the goddess of victory – putting the finishing touches to a military trophy constructed from the spoils of the war against Carthage, alluding to his successful invasion of Africa.
