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Tanit was a Phoenician lunar goddess, worshiped as the patron goddess at Carthage.
Carthage, Zeugitana, NorthAfrica, 300 - 264 B.C.
In 278 B.C., envoys from the Sicilian cities of Agrigentum, Syracuse, and Leontini asked Pyrrhus for military aid to remove the Carthaginian dominance over that island. With an army of 20,000 infantry, 3,000 cavalry, 20 War Elephants, and some 200 ships, Pyrrhus defeated the Carthaginian forces and captured the city-fortress of Eryx. Carthage sued for peace, but Pyrrhus demanded Carthage renounce its claims on Sicily entirely. Pyrrhus set his sights on conquering Carthage itself, and began outfitting an expedition. However, his ruthless treatment of the Sicilian cities and his execution of two Sicilian rulers led to such animosity that he was forced out of Sicily and abandoned his plan.GB87736. Bronze AE 19, SNG Cop 149, Alexandropoulos 57, Müller Afrique 268, aVF, dark patina, a little off center, pre-strike flan casting sprue, weight 5.096 g, maximum diameter 20.1 mm, die axis 0o, Sardinian mint, 300 - 264 B.C.; obversehead of Tanit left wearing wreath of grain and plain necklace, dotted border; reverse horse's head right; $90.00 (€76.50)
Carthage, Zeugitana, NorthAfrica, c. 310 - 290 B.C.
In 311 B.C., Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse, invaded the Carthaginian holdings on Sicily and laid siege to Akragas. Hamilcar led the Carthaginian response, and by 310 controlled almost all of Sicily and laid siege to Syracuse itself. In desperation, Agathocles secretly led an expedition of 14,000 men to Africa, hoping to save his rule by leading a counterstrike against Carthage itself. Carthage was forced to recall Hamilcar and most of his army from Sicily. Agathocles was eventually defeated in 307 B.C., but he escaped back to Sicily and negotiated a peace which maintained Syracuse as a stronghold of Greek power in Sicily.
Jenkins and Lewis report that Group V is 55% - 60% gold.SH57451. Electrumstater, Jenkins and Lewis group V, 266 (same dies), Alexandropoulos 12, SNG Cop 136, gVF, marks, weight 7.532 g, maximum diameter 19.4 mm, die axis 0o, Carthage or Sicilian mint, obversehead of Tanit left, wreathed in grain, wearing necklace and triple-drop earring, pellet before neck; reverse horse standing right on exergual line, nearer legs back, two pellets below; nicely centered and struck, marks in the fields; SOLD
Carthage, Zeugitana, NorthAfrica, First Punic War, c. 264 - 241 B.C.
SNG Cop 261 - 268 are similar bronzes dated c. 241 - 221 B.C. with the same types, but also with additional control symbols on the reverse, smaller lighter flans and a far less elegant style. This coin, unpublished in the standard references and the only example known to Forum, is very similar to Jenkinstype X electrum trihemshekels, dated c. 264 - 261 B.C.GB66872. Bronze AE 21, Unpublished(?), cf. Jenkins group Xa (electrum, trihemishekel), SNG Cop 261 ff. (similar AE, inferior style, c. 241 - 221 B.C.), EF/VF, light corrosion on the reverse, weight 7.117 g, maximum diameter 20.9 mm, die axis 225o, Carthage mint, probably c. 241 B.C.; obversehead of Tanit left, wearing barley wreath, triple-pendant earing, and necklace with many pendants; reverse unbridled horse standing right on exergual line, sun disk with uraei above; extremely rare; SOLD