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Taras, Calabria, Italy, c. 281 - 272 B.C.
Taras, the only Spartan colony, was founded in 706 B.C. The founders were Partheniae ("sons of virgins"), sons of unmarried Spartan women and Perioeci (free men, but not citizens of Sparta). These out-of-wedlock unions were permitted to increase the prospective number of soldiers (only the citizens could be soldiers) during the bloody Messenian wars. Later, however, when they were no longer needed, their citizenship was retroactively nu|llified and the sons were obliged to leave Greece forever. Their leader, Phalanthus, consulted the oracle at Delphi and was told to make the harbor of Taranto their home. They named the city Taras after the son of Poseidon, and of a local nymph, Satyrion. According to legend, Phalanthos was rescued by a dolphin after a shipwreck near Delphi. Some descriptions of this and similar coin types identify the dolphin rider as Phalanthos. But Aristotle wrote that it was Taras, not Phalanthos, who was saved by a dolphin. This symbol of the ancient Greek city is still the symbol of modern Taranto today.GS85154. Silver nomos, Vlasto 702; SNG ANS 1077; HN Italy 969; BMC Italy p. 194, 255; SNG Cop -, EF, fine style, iridescent toning, well centered and struck on a tight flan, some die wear, Taras (Taranto, Italy) mint, weight 7.816g, maximum diameter 21.9mm, die axis 315o, c. 281 - 272 B.C.; obverse naked horseman dismounting from horse galloping to left, shield in left hand, EY (magistrate) upper right, NIKΩN (magistrate) below; reverse Taras (or Phalanthos) astride dolphin left, stalk of barley in extended right hand, left hand resting on dolphin's back, API (magistrate) left, TAPAΣ curving downward behind, arrowhead (or spearhead?) right below; ex Art of Money (Portland, OR); SOLD
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