The die sequence of Medma

© 2008 The American Numismatic Society AJN Second Series 20 (2008) pp. 143–154 The Die Sequence of the Silver Staters of Medma Giovanni Gorini* This article presents a die study of the coinage of the mint of Medma (South Italy) arranged in six groups which cover the period from 330 to 317 BC in a corpus of c. 89 specimens. The die analysis makes a contribution to the understanding of the poorly documented history of this ancient town and the connection with the similar coinage at Locri. This paper incorporates and extends my study of the mint of Medma1 and is intended to serve as a contribution to the establishment of the definitive die sequence of the staters of this mint of Magna Greacia at the close of the fourth century BC. The sequence of emission and the chronology of Medma’s silver coinage must be considered both in the light of the five hoards that we have containing coins of Medma *giovanni.gorini@unipd.it 1. G. Gorini, “Per uno studio della monetazione di Medma,” Numismatica e Antichità Classiche 14 (1985), 127–140. It should be noted that in the nineteenth century, ImhoofBlumer (“Die Münzen Akarnaniens,” Numismatische Zeitschrift 10 [1878]: 6–7) had already drawn attention to the staters of Medma and identified the main types. For a modern view of the problems relating to the numismatic history of the city, see M. Taliercio, “Dibattito: Pan sulle monete di Pandosia,” in Mito e storia in Magna Grecia, Atti del trentaseiesimo Convegno di Studi sulla Magna Grecia, Taranto 4–7 ottobre 1996 (Taranto, 1997), 360–361; M. Paoletti, “Rosarno,” in Bibliografia Topografica della colonizzazione greca in Italia e nelle isole tirreniche, ed. G. Nenci and G. Vallet, vol. 17, Siti: Rosarno–San Bonifacio (Pisa, Rome, and Naples, 2002), 1–51; and G. Lacquaniti, Medma colonia di Locri Epizefiri: storia, arte, culti e costumi di una pòlis magnogreca sul Tirreno (2003), which is derivative but contains a current bibliography. 143 144 Giovanni Gorini and of some significant die linkages among specimens from auction catalogues.2 These sources permit the following reconstruction. The relevant hoards are as follows: 1. E. Sicily 19833 2. Sicily 1912–1913 3. Gela 1911 4. Megara Hyblea 1966 5. Salve 1930 IGCH 2147 IGCH 2198 IGCH 2180 IGCH 2030 These five hoards, listed in the order of their probable date of deposit, provide a basis for understanding the various phases of production of the Pegasi of Medma. The first of these, found in eastern Sicily in 1983, was dispersed in commerce, so we know little of the circumstances of its discovery. The hoard contained 761 staters of Corinthian type, as well as eight Siculo-Punic tetradrachms. This constitutes the largest number of staters of the colonies of Locri found in any hoard. Ten were of Medma: 5 examples of Calciati n° 1 with no obv. letter / rev. letter M 1 example of Calciati n° 2 with no letter on obv. or rev. 1 example of Calciati n° 3 with ME ligate on obv. / no letter on rev. 1 example of Calciati n° 4 with ME ligate on obv. / M on rev. 1 example of Calciati n° 6 with MK ligate on obv. / M on rev. 1 example of Calciati n° 7 with MK ligate on obv. This hoard contains nearly all of the types of Medma staters in fresh condition, and “il grado di usura non varia sensibilmente dalla prima emissione all’ultima.”4 The clear implication is that, as Calciati puts it, “la coniazione di Medma sia avvenuta in un breve arco di tempo,”5 and that this coinage began only a few years before the deposit date of the hoard. Furthermore, based on the Sicily 1912–1913 hoard (IGCH 2147) and the Sicily 1935 hoard (IGCH 2148), which were dated by Kraay in IGCH to 310 BC, the E. Sicily hoard can also be dated to 310 BC, because we find nearly the same composition. Note the summary of the Corinthian staters of Ravel’s Period V6 contained in these three hoards in Table 1. 2. Various difficulties have prevented the exhaustive identification of all extant specimens. 3. R. Calciati, Pegasi (Mortara, 1990), 581–585 (henceforth Calciati). 4. Ibid., 585. 5. Ibid. 6. G. K. Jenkins, “A note on Corinthian coins in the West,” in Centennial Publication ANS (New York, 1958), 367–379. For a definition of Period V, see O. Ravel, Les ‘Poulains’ de Corinthine (Spink 1948), pp. 116–126. The Die Sequence of the Silver Staters of Medma Table 1. Summary of Period V Pegasi Corinth/Control E N Δ AP Γ I A AΛ ΔI Φ I— ΔI AY ΔO Sicily IGCH 2147 4 9 2 74 14 4 37 5 21 + — — — Sicily IGCH 2148 + + +10 + + + + + + — + + + 18 — — 32 7 4 15 8 4 E. Sicily 1983 4 16 145 From the association of coins of Corinth and Medma, one can conclude that all three hoards were deposited around 310 BC. If this date is correct, the Medma Pegasi would have commenced around 330 BC. This would mean that the Medma coinage was struck during the reign of Timoleon, during the period of the liberation of Sicilian and Italian cities from the tyranny of the two Dionisii. However, the earlier date of the Sicilian Pegasi, including those of Medma, which has been proposed by Holloway,7 is supported by the hoard evidence, as has been demonstrated by Taliercio, who supports an earlier dating.8 Let us now examine the details of the hoards. Since it is the only one to contain Medma issues without ethnic (albeit a single example), the E. Sicily 1983 hoard, confirms that this issue should be considered the first, shortly preceding the other issues. This also implies that this is the earliest of the four hoards containing Med7. R. R. Holloway, “Il problema dei ‘pegasi’ in Sicilia,” Numismatica e Antichità Classiche (1982), 129–136, proposing a continuity of Pegasi emissions in Sicily, which would date the Medma issue to the years after 350 BC (see p. 135). 8. M. Taliercio Mensitieri, “Presenza monetale di Corinto e colonie in Sicilia e in Magna Grecia nel IV e III secolo a.C. in La monetazione corinzia in Occidente III secolo a.C.,” in Atti del IX Convegno del CISN (Napoli 1986) (Rome, 1993), 87–115, esp. 112–115. Also N. K. Rutter, Greek coinages of southern Italy and Sicily (London, 1997), 166, suggests a date in the second half of the fourth century BC and specifically proposes 330–320 BC in his more recent Historia Numorum3. Italy (London, 2001), 182. 146 Giovanni Gorini ma Pegasi, since the others do not contain all of the Medma issues. In fact, the evidence also indicates that the issue without ethnic should be considered the first of the Medma mint, because it is not present in the other hoards. Accordingly, I designate the issue without ethnic as Group I. Next is the Sicily hoard (IGCH 2147). Based on the Corinthian coins in the hoard, the deposit can be dated to 310 BC, but according to the manuscript notes on the hoard made by Newell,9 the two coins of Medma in the hoard are the type with M on the reverse,10 so this issue can be placed slightly after the issue without legend, and it thus belongs to what I call Group II. Third is the Gela hoard (IGCH 2198), with a deposit date of 282 BC, which contains a very worn example of the type of Calciati 3. Consequently, it is probable that our Group III, which includes staters with ME on the obverse and no letters on the reverse, must precede those with ME on the obverse and M on the reverse (Group IV). This is further supported by the existence of a die link on a coin in Oxford (n. 1574, discussed below), which links Group II and Group III.11 Next, we have the Megara Hyblea hoard (IGCH 2180). The contents indicate a deposit date early in the third century BC; the single Medma stater, with ME/M, belongs to our Group IV. Finally, the Salve hoard (IGCH 2030), is dated to the late third century BC by the presence of a Roman quadrigatus. This hoard is of little value in determining the Medma chronology, since it contains only a single Medma stater with M on reverse. Given the late deposit date of the hoard, however, it does shed light on the size of this issue, which was probably much larger than the hoard occurrences might indicate and was probably the largest of the Medma issues. Based on the deposit dates of these five hoards, we can establish the probable die sequence of the Medma staters, divided into six main groups. After the first four groups comes Group V, with MK on the obverse and no letter on the reverse, and finally Group VI, of barbarous style, and evidently the last issue of the mint. The dies of this group were engraved by natives and not by Greeks, as can be seen from the peculiar style of the coins. Finally, we can place the end of the Medma coinage in 317 BC, at the time of a new direction in Croton’s politics. This change was marked by the advent of democracy and by the treaty of Croton with the Bretti in 317 BC,12 which must 9. I am grateful to Carmen Arnold-Biucchi for allowing me access to the notes at the ANS during the summer of 1994. 10. One example now in the ANS collection, ANS 1957.172.1324 (SNG 587). 11. R. R. Holloway, Ripostigli del Museo Archeologico di Siracusa (Rome, 1989), 88, n. 15, and plate 56, n. 15. 12. Diod. 19.3.3–4; M. Taliercio, “La riduzione ponderale in Magna Grecia e, in particolare, gli stateri ridotti di Heraclea, di Thurii e di Crotone,” Dial. Arch., 3rd. ser., 7 (1989), n. 2, 31–52, esp. 42. The Die Sequence of the Silver Staters of Medma 147 have had repercussions in Medma and other Italiote cities and perhaps led to the cessation of coinage, because we do not encounter staters of reduced weight.13 In summary, then, the organization of the coinage is as follows: Obverse Group I Group II Group III Group IV Group V Group VI no letter no letter ME ligate ME ligate MK ligate barbarous style Reverse no letter M no letter M no letter These groupings are also based (see below) on several die links, which permit the reconstruction of the final activities of the mint of Medma Group I The Sequence of the Pegasi of Medma Obverse: no letter / Reverse: no letter. O1/R1 O1 Wing feathers pointing upward. R1 Hair curls beyond helmet neckpiece. 1. Gorny & Mosch 17, 2002, n. 70, 8.54 g 2. F. R. Künker Münzenhandlung 83, 2003, n. 53, 8.52 g O2/R2 O2 First feather short, the others pointing upward. R2 Dot between the two curls below neckpiece. 3. SNG Lloyd 659, 8.73 g = Calciati, n. 2/3 4. Campana 8.45 g = Calciati, n. 2/2 5. E. Sicily1983, 8.452 g = Calciati, n. 2/1 = 707/2 6. F. R. Künker Münzenhandlung 104, 2005, n. 66, 8.22 g 13. To my knowledge, no firm evidence has been discovered; however, Consolo Langher, I Brettii (1995), 103, contends that some staters of Locri and Medma “di chiaro stampo agatocleo.” In fact, the average weight of the Medma staters is around 8.5 g, not the 6.6–6.9 g average of the Agathocles issues (see the appendix to M. Taliercio, “La riduzione ponderale in Magna Grecia e, in particolare, gli stateri ridotti di Heraclea, di Thurii e di Crotone,” Dial. Arch., 3rd. ser., 7 [1989], 48–51). 148 Group II Giovanni Gorini Obverse: no letter / Reverse: M. O2/R3 R3 Small M beneath neck truncation and dot under neckpiece. 7. Naville vii, 1924, n. 1163, 8.65 g = Calciati 2/4 = 704/1 8. SNG Fitzwilliam 1837, 8.36 g 9. Berlin, Imhoof-Blumer 1900, 8.56 g O2/R4 R4 Similar, with dot under neckpiece, but curls arranged differently. 10. SNG ANS 587 = Calciati, n. 1/13 11. Birkler and Waddell 1, 7/XII/1979, n. 29, 8.36 g 12. M&M, List 360, Sept. 1974, n. 11, 8.36 g = M&M 54, 26 Oct. 1978, n. 76 = Calciati, n. 1/10 13. M&M, List 462, 1984, n. 4 , 8.62 g 14. E. Sicily 1983, 8,659 g = Calciati n. 1/9 15. E. Sicily 1983, 8,264 g = Calciati n.1/11 = 705/1 16. E. Sicily 1983, 8.595 g = Calciati n. 1/12 = 706/1 17. Glendining, March 1931, n. 1090, 8.7 g 18. Auctiones 1986, n. 23 = Calciati n. 1/14 19. Berlin, Löbbecke 1906, 8.665 g 20. Grose, n. 1836, 8.09 g 21. Grose, n. 1837, 8.35 g 22. De Nanteuil, n. 233, 8.52 g 23. Hirsch 1924, n. 310, 8.45 g 24. Kunst und Münzen 1969, n. 3, 8.35 g O3/R4 O3 Slightly straighter wingfeathers. 25. Hirsch 25, 1909, Philipsen Coll, n. 1132 = Sartiges, Paris 1921, plate 16, n. 289 26. Numismatica Ars Classica 40, 2007, n. 228, 8.65 g O2/R5 R5 Variations in the curls extending beyond the neckpiece. 27. SNG ANS 588 = Calciati, n. 214 O2/R6 R6 Variations in the curls extending beyond the neckpiece. 28. SNG ANS 589 = Calciati, n. 1/15 14. Contrary to Calciati’s description, this specimen exhibits a small M below the neck truncation. The coin comes from the Sicily 1912–1913 Hoard (= IGCH 2147). The Die Sequence of the Silver Staters of Medma 149 (At this point, there is an interruption in the coinage, which I believe is due to a lack of silver for coining rather than some obscure political or economic reason.) O4/R7 O4 First wingfeather shorter. R7 Without dot, and with two curls beyond the neckpiece. 29. SNG ANS 590 = SNG Berry 783, 8.58 g = Calciati, n. 1/3 30. BMC Corinth, 8.55 g = Calciati n. 1/5 31. M&M 26, 7 Nov. 1974, n. 55, 8.65 g 32. Budapest, Dessewffy, n. 2366, 8.4 g 33. Hess-Leu 6–7, 1966, n. 82, 8.54 g15 34. Gorny & Mosch 151, 2006, n. 72, 8.71 g O4/R8 R8 Variations in the curls extending beyond the neckpiece. 35. Frankfurter Münz. 116, Jan. 1969, n. 393, 8.6 g = Kricheldorf 23, Sept. 1963, n. 82, 8.56 g = Kricheldorf, 1–2 July 1966, n. 95 36. Kunst und Münzen XVI, n. 95 = Calciati, n. 1 37. NFA 1987, n. 25 = Calciati, n. 1/1 38. E. Sicily 1983, 8.569 g = Calciati, n. 1/2 = 702/1 39. Stack’s, 17 May 1983, n, 56, 8.115 g 40. M&M Deutschland, 12, 2003, n. 79, 8.53 g = M&M Deutschland, 14, 2004, n. 367, 8.53 g O5/R8 O5 Variation in the orientation of the wingfeathers. 41. Kunst und Münzen V, 1981, n. 19 = Calciati, n. 1/6 42. J. Schulman, Fixed Price List 212, Winter 1977, n. 7, 8.50 g 43. M&M 72, 6 Oct. 1987, n. 502 = Sotheby’s, 27–28 Oct. 1993, n. 185 44. E. Sicily 1983, 8.331 g = Calciati n. 1/7 = 703/1 45. Sternberg XX, 20 April 1988, n. 145, 8.65 g 46. Lanz 22, 10 May 1982, n. 50, 8.61 g 47. Kricheldorf 1963, n. 82 48. Kricheldorf 1966, n. 95 49. BMC Corinth 97/1 50. Dresden O6/R7 O6 First and the fifth wingfeathers are longer. 51. SNG Oxford 1572, 8.29 g = Calciati, n. 1/4 52. Oxford, Nat. Mus. of Wales Loan 1968, n. 220, 8.53 g 15. Also listed in A. Erdogan, Antik grek sikkeleri kataloğu (Istanbul, 1980), n. 783. 150 Giovanni Gorini 53. Campana Coll., 8.78 g16 = Calciati, n. 2/217 54. Gemini II, 2006, n. 83, 8.74 g O6/R8 R8 Variation in the position of the M, upward and to the left of the helmet. 55. SNG Fitzwilliam1836, gr. 8,10 O6/R9 R9 Variations in the curls extending beyond the neckpiece. 56. SNG Oxford 1573 = Calciati, n. 2/518 Group III Obverse: ME ligate/ Reverse: no letter O7/R9 O7 In addition to the ME (ligate), this die has the first wing feather curved and long and, unlike the preceding, shows a slight cut in the left rear leg of Pegasus. 57. SNG Oxford 1574, 8.93 g = Calciati, n. 3/2 58. CNG, Mail Bid sale 76, 2007, n. 100, 8.59 g. (This issue is extremely important, because it links Group III with Group II and indirectly confirms the die sequence at this crucial point.) O7/R10 R10 A variation of the preceding. 59. Kricheldorf, 19–21 Feb. 1973, n. 75 60. SNG Cop. 1899, 8.68 = Calciati, n. 5 O7/R11 R11 Again, a variation of the preceding. 61. Grose, n. 1838, 8.36 g = Calciati, n. 3/3 62. Stack’s, 5–6 March 1971, n. 221, 8.66 g 63. Weber, n. 1096 = Calciati, n. 3/1 64. Sambon Canessa, Dec. 1902, n. 70, 8.68 g 65. E. Sicily 1983, 8.311 g = Calciati, n. 3/5 = 706/3 66. SNG Fitzwilliam 1838, 8.36 g 67. Wien, n. 13372, 8.27 g 68. Berlin, Imhoof Blumer 1900, 8.55 g 69. BMC Corinth 97/2, 8.74 g 70. Hirsch 1922, n. 180, 8.92 g 16. Letter from Prof. Campana, March 16, 1986. 17. Where the weight is given as 8.45 g. 18. The letter below the neck truncation is partially visible. The Die Sequence of the Silver Staters of Medma 151 O8/R11 O8 Different die with wing feathers variously oriented, and lacking the gap in the left rear leg. 71. Naville 1922, Evans Coll., n. 180, 8.92 g O9/R11 O9 The gap in the rear leg is faint and the wing feathers are variously oriented. 72. SNG Lloyd 658, 8.51 g = Calciati, n. 3 Group IV Obverse: ME ligate/ Reverse: M. O9/R12 R12 This die is very similar to R11 but has the letter M below the neck truncation. The linkage to Group III is based on a coin in the British Museum. 73. BMC Corinth 11, 8.74 g 72 bis. Spink 1958, 8.58 g19 (At this point, there is a second interruption in the sequence, perhaps filled by the following example.) 74. Classical Numismatic Auctions, Quarryville, Penn., II, 7 Nov. 1987, n. 23 O10/R13 O10 Wing feathers variously oriented. R13 Different profile and small die break in upper right field. 75. Adolph Hess 18, March 1918, n. 582, 8.44 g = Ratto, Lugano, 4 April 1927, n. 315, 8.40 g O10/R13 O11 Wing feathers arranged differently than preceding. 76. Hirsch XXI, n. 1826 = Weber, 1908 O12/R13 R13 Die break along nose of Athena more pronounced than on preceding. O12 Very different style of Pegasus, first wing feather very short and ME very faint. 77. Bank Leu & Co., Dec. 1961, n. 94, 8.59 g = Attianese,20 n. 522 = Calciati, n. 1/821 78. E. Sicily 1983, 8.512 g = Calciati, n. 4 = 707/4 19. Cast in the Ashmolean Museum recorded on my visit in 1986, in a box labeled “Corinth Misc.” 20. P. Attianese, Calabria Greca: Greek coins of Calabria, vol. 1 (Santa Severina, 1974). 21. Calciati has inexplicably placed this coin out of sequence, and Attianese was apparently unaware of the presence of the small M on the reverse of the coin he illustrated. 152 Giovanni Gorini 79. BMC Corinth 8.62 = Calciati, n. 4/1 80. Campana 8.59 g. = Calciati, n. 5/122 81. Gorny & Mosch 142, 2005, n. 1124, 8.61 g Group V Obverse: MK ligate / Reverse: no letter. O13/R13 O13 Monogram interpreted as ΛΚ. 82. E. Sicily 1983, 8.414 = Calciati, n. 7 = 709/7 83. SNG, Lockett 1841, 8.66 g, partially double struck 84. Berlin n. 72/1888. The coin has been attributed to the Lucani, reading the monogram as Λ and K. However, upon closer examination, the coin may be attributed to Medma, since the epsilon is quasi-lunate and is placed next to a very narrow MI.23 O13/R14 R14 Identical die to R13, except lacking M. 85. SNG ANS 586, 8.13 g = Calciati, n. 6/1 86. E. Sicily 1983, 8.268 g = Calciati, n. 6 = 708/6 87. Numismatica Ars Classica, Auction P, 2005, n. 1116, 8.62 g O13/R15 R15 Variation of the preceding. 88. BM, London, 8.50 g. = Calciati, n. 6/2. Group VI Barbarous coin, probably not belonging to Medma on stylistic grounds. 89. J. Schulman 210, 1975, n. 26. Obverse similar to O1, but the reverse without legend and of aberrant style, with traces of a symbol to the right and beneath the neck of Athena. 22. The coin is extremely important in that it marks the transition between Group IV and Group V with a very clear die, as the reverse (R13) is the same. The weight of the two Medma staters from the Campana collection was kindly provided by Prof. Campana. 23. Cf. G. Gorini, “Per uno studio della monetazione di Medma,” Numismatica e Antichità Classiche 14 (1985), 127–140, esp. 135, n. 39; and M. Taliercio Mensitieri, “Problemi monetari di Hipponium e delle città della Brettia tra IV e III sec. a.C.,” in Crotone e la sua storia tra IV e III secolo a. C. (Naples, 1993), 131–186, esp. 174–175, referring to this coin but dating it to the reign of Agathocles. The Die Sequence of the Silver Staters of Medma 153 Conclusions Altogether, we have thirteen obverse and fifteen reverse dies, with an average of 6.69 specimens per die, from which (without becoming involved in the debate regarding the relationship between the size of an issue and the number of dies used to produce it),24 we can conclude, based on the evidence presented, that the coinage of Medma was of short duration and modest in size. We have assembled some ninety examples of the Medma coinage and, although it may be possible to increase this number slightly, we have included the specimens from most important public and private collections, as well as from many auction and fixed price catalogues. I therefore conclude that this sporadic emission of staters represents the contribution of this Locrian colony to the Italian cause at the moment of the Timoleontic renaissance and before the final capture of Medma by the Bruttii, which restricts the Corinthian types to the period from 330–317 BC. This parallels the similar emission of Locri, which at that point resumes Syracusan types and therefore belongs to Taliercio’s Group C1.25 Acknowledgements This paper, which has been in progress for some time, owes its existence to a fortuitous suggestion made some thirty years ago by my friend Salvatore Settis, to whom I offer my appreciation and my apologies for the long delay. However, my ongoing commitments, first to the Museo Civico di Padova and subsequently as 24. Cf. most recently S. E. Buttrey and T. V. Buttrey, “Calculating ancient coin production, again. Reviewing de Callataÿ, Depeyrot, and Villaronga, L’Argent monnayé d’Alexandre le grand à Auguste, and de Callataÿ, Calculating ancient coin production: seeking a balance,” American Journal of Numismatics 9 (1997), 113–135. 25. Cf. M. Taliercio and E. Spagnoli, “Presenza monetale di Corinto e colonie in Sicilia e in Magna Grecia nel IV e III secolo a.C.” in La monetazione corinzia in Occidente, Atti del IX Convegno del Centro Internazionale di Studi Numismatici. Naples, 27–28 Oct. 1986 (Rome, 1993), 87–293, esp. 104, 105, 112, 120; M. Taliercio, Le emissioni monetarie della Calabria dall’età di Dionigi II a quella di Annibale, in Storia della Calabria antica.Età italica e romana, ed. S. Settis (Rome 1994), 2, 423–436, esp. 425–426, with the proper reference to a “direttrice sicelioto-siracusana, per ora limitata a Locri, sulla cui scia si pone significativamente Medma”; previously demonstrated by S. Garraffo, Le riconiazioni in Magna Grecia e in Sicilia (Palermo, 1984), where he asserts that the trade relationships of the cities of Locri, Medma, and Hipponio “erano prevalentemente orientati con il mondo siceliota più che con la Magna Grecia propria” (159). 154 Giovanni Gorini the director of the department of scienze dell’antichità of the Università di Padova (now the department of archeology), have prevented the prompt completion of this research, as I would have liked. In the meantime, I have presented my research at the Berlin International Numismatic Congress in 1997, although I was unable to publish the article in the Proceedings. However, a short summary of my paper was recorded (N. K. Rutter, ed., Historia Numorum3, Italy [London, 2001], 183). My thanks to the many individuals whose help has facilitated my work, primarily the curators and others responsible for public numismatic collections, especially Carmen Arnold-Biucchi and William Metcalf formerly of the American Numismatic Society; during the summer of 1994, I served as visiting scholar for the ANS Graduate Seminar, which provided access to the trays and library of the ANS. A special appreciation to Marina Taliercio, who read the draft and provided useful suggestions; to Rick Witschonke of the ANS, who has supplied the English translation and provided comments as well; and to Peter van Alfen, for support and advice.