30
nomos . . . . . . auction 4, zürich 10 may 2011
1,5:1
1011
1011
1011 Ainianes. Circa 360s-350s BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 2.81 g 6), Hypata. Laureate and bearded head of Zeus to left. Rev. ΑΙΝΙΑΝΩΝ The hero Phemios, nude but for a belt holding a short sword in a scabbard and a chlamys draped over his shoulders and his left arm, standing left, facing front with his head turned to right, hurling a javelin with his right hand and holding his petasos, as if it were a small shield, with his left; on the ground line between his feet, sideways Φ (=Phemios). SNG Munich 1. Warren pl. XVI, 680 (same obverse die). Rare. A nicely toned, well centered and attractive example. Reverse slightly doublestruck at the bottom, otherwise, about extremely fine. 350 The earliest hemidrachms or triobols of the Ainianes must be those with the left facing head of Zeus and the unbroken city name on the reverse, as found here and on the unique stater (above, lot 1010). They are, apparently, rather more uncommon than those with the broken legend (as below, lot 1013). What does seem astonishing, however, is that no one seems to have noticed the letter on the reverse ground line that clearly identifies the warrior as Phemios. Perhaps even the ancient viewer did not realize what it meant, and that may well indicate why it was discontinued. It can be seen even more legibly on the following lot, struck from the same reverse die as this one. The idea that the object held in Phemios’ left hand is actually a shield, rather than a petasos, has recently been bruited about (i.e. CNG MBS 76, 2007, lot 369). This is interesting but it would require the existence of a buckler that curved inwards from the edge and then back up to the boss at the center, which does not really seem very likely. Given the fact that he also has his cloak wrapped around his arm, it would seem that he was protecting himself in a rather casual way, commensurate with his heroic spirit. Looking at the piece illustrated in Peus 171, 2007, lot 393, makes it clear this is really a hat, not a stiff shield!
1,5:1
1012
1012
1012 Ainianes. Circa 360s-350s BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 2.78 g 6), Hypata. Laureate and bearded head of Zeus to left. Rev. ΑΙΝΙΑΝΩΝ The hero Phemios standing left and fighting right, as last, from the same die. SNG Munich 1. Rare. A lovely, lightly toned example. Nearly extremely fine. 350 Note the the very obvious Φ on the ground line on the reverse of this coin.
1,5:1
1013
1,5:1
1013 Ainianes. Circa 360s-350s BC. Hemidrachm (Silver, 2.76 g 12), Hypata. Laureate head of Zeus to left, similar to the last. Rev. ΑΙΝΙΑΝ-ΩΝ The hero Phemios, similar to the last. BMC 2. BMFA 871. Jameson 1079A (this coin). Traité IV, 452, pl. CCLXXXVII, 15. Rare. Toned and attractive, though with some very slight surface roughness. Extremely fine. 500 Ex Monnaies et Médailles 61, 7 October 1981, 106 (CHF 6000), and from the collections of W. Niggeler, I, Bank Leu/Münzen und Medaillen 3 December 1965, 250, R. Jameson and J. P. Lambros, Hirsch XXIX, 9 November 1910, 309. This coin is probably marginally later than the two preceding examples, since it uses the more usual legend with a break on the reverse. The obverse dies are all amazingly similar to each other, though they are all different. A note from BCD: The similarity of the obverse dies means that the same die engraver was responsible for all the 4th century issues of this mint. ASW is therefore quite right in compressing the chronology of this issue (by far the most abundant amongst the early Ainianes hemidrachms) to within the decade 360-350.