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Lakonia, Lakedaimon (Sparta), ca. 85 BC, AR Hemidrachm - in the style of the Achaian League
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Laureate head of Zeus right.
Central AX monogram; pilei of the Dioskouri flanking, ΛAI monogram above and ΩΠMY monogram below, all within laurel wreath.
HGC 5, 643 (S); Clerk 319; BCD Peloponnesos 865.4; SNG Cop 320.
(13 mm, 2.36 g, 6h).
Classical Numismatic Group, August 2007; from BCD Collection (not in LHS sale); ex-Johan Christian Holm (Denmark) 1976.
Although this coin is in the style of the Achaian League style, it was issued at a time when Sparta was not a member of the League. It is believed that the issue of this coin type was a “voluntary” contribution to the Roman campaign when Sulla was fighting Mithradates VI. This issue was struck the style of the coinage of the League, which was more acceptable to the Greek mercenaries who received it as pay while engaged by Rome. Sparta also issued autonomous silver coinage (example below) around the same time and for the following thirty years.
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