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Taras, Calabria
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212-209 BC (Period X - The Punic Occupation)
AR Half-Shekel (Reduced Nomos) (19mm, 3.28g)
Sogenis magistrate.
O: Nude youth on horseback to left, crowning horse with wreath; IΩ behind, ΣΩΓE - NHΣ (magistrate) in two lines below.
R: Taras astride dolphin to left, holding cornucopiae in right arm and Nike who crowns him with wreath in left; TAPA[Σ] below.
D'Andrea XLVI, 1727; Vlasto 975-77; Cote 589-90; Evans X, B-1; SNG France 2064; McGill II, 119-20; SNG ANS 1266-68; SNG Cop 949; HN Italy 1079
Very Scarce
ex Praefectus Coins
At half the weight of the previous ‘didrachms’ from Taras, this half-shekel coin was minted during the Punic occupation of the city from 212-209 BC.
The story of Hannibal’s capture of Tarentum is fascinating, but of far too great a scope to cover here. Courage and endurance, intrigue and treachery all played a part in the Carthaginians desperate need of a southern naval port to continue Hannibal’s dream of conquering the Italian peninsula. Yet after an occupation of three years he was forced to withdraw from the city, virtually ending the second Punic War. However with a naval command post and a way to access reinforcements and supplies from Carthage, who knows what shape the history of Rome might have taken?
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![Taras, Calabria
212-209 BC (Period X - The Punic Occupation)
AR Half-Shekel (Reduced Nomos) (19mm, 3.28g)
Sogenis magistrate.
O: Nude youth on horseback to left, crowning horse with wreath; IΩ behind, ΣΩΓE - NHΣ (magistrate) in two lines below.
R: Taras astride dolphin to left, holding cornucopiae in right arm and Nike who crowns him with wreath in left; TAPA[Σ] below.
D'Andrea XLVI, 1727; Vlasto 975-77; Cote 589-90; Evans X, B-1; SNG France 2064; McGill II, 119-20; SNG ANS 1266-68; SNG Cop 949; HN Italy 1079
Very Scarce
ex Praefectus Coins
[i]At half the weight of the previous ‘didrachms’ from Taras, this half-shekel coin was minted during the Punic occupation of the city from 212-209 BC.
The story of Hannibal’s capture of Tarentum is fascinating, but of far too great a scope to cover here. Courage and endurance, intrigue and treachery all played a part in the Carthaginians desperate need of a southern naval port to continue Hannibal’s dream of conquering the Italian peninsula. Yet after an occupation of three years he was forced to withdraw from the city, virtually ending the second Punic War. However with a naval command post and a way to access reinforcements and supplies from Carthage, who knows what shape the history of Rome might have taken?[/i]](albums/userpics/21312/normal_V_975.jpg "Click to view full size image
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Taras, Calabria
212-209 BC (Period X - The Punic Occupation)
AR Half-Shekel (Reduced Nomos) (19mm, 3.28g)
Sogenis magistrate.
O: Nude youth on horseback to left, crowning horse with wreath; IΩ behind, ΣΩΓE - NHΣ (magistrate) in two lines below.
R: Taras astride dolphin to left, holding cornucopiae in right arm and Nike who crowns him with wreath in left; TAPA[Σ] below.
D'Andrea XLVI, 1727; Vlasto 975-77; Cote 589-90; Evans X, B-1; SNG France 2064; McGill II, 119-20; SNG ANS 1266-68; SNG Cop 949; HN Italy 1079
Very Scarce
ex Praefectus Coins
[i]At half the weight of the previous ‘didrachms’ from Taras, this half-shekel coin was minted during the Punic occupation of the city from 212-209 BC.
The story of Hannibal’s capture of Tarentum is fascinating, but of far too great a scope to cover here. Courage and endurance, intrigue and treachery all played a part in the Carthaginians desperate need of a southern naval port to continue Hannibal’s dream of conquering the Italian peninsula. Yet after an occupation of three years he was forced to withdraw from the city, virtually ending the second Punic War. However with a naval command post and a way to access reinforcements and supplies from Carthage, who knows what shape the history of Rome might have taken?[/i]")
