Silver litra of Syracuse, 0.76 g.

Silver litra of Syracuse, 0.76 g.

Syracuse, Sicily, Italy

c. 474-450 BCE

Obverse: Head of Arethusa to right, wearing earring, necklace, and diadem of beads.

Reverse: Sepia; ΣΥΡΑ: Syracuse abbreviated.

Style/Period: Early Classical Greece

The litra, equivalent to one-fifth of a drachm, is the standard denomination of the native Sicel currency. Although the obverse of this coin has the usual depiction of the Syracusan nymph Arethusa (see coin 91.029), the reverse differs from the quadriga that usually accompanied her on the Syracusan coins of the Greek monetary system based upon the drachm.
Arethusa, the nymph of the fresh-water spring at Syracuse, is depicted here in the Severe Style characteristic of Greek art of the period c. 480-450 BCE. This style reflects a more naturalistic approach to the body than the Archaic style (coin 91.029), which can be seen in the proportions and smoother transitions in the facial features. The sepia on the reverse is a type of cuttlefish, probably a reference to the rich sea life of the harbor at Syracuse.
-- Kelly Swett Riordan, LU '93

Bibliography: E. Boehringer, Die Münzen von Syrakus (Berlin, Leipzig, 1929) 423.

Former collection of Ottilia Buerger. Bought from Bank Leu, June 1, 1972.

91.030

Wriston Art Center Galleries, Lawrence University, Appleton, WI,wriston-gallery@lawrence.edu,920-832-6890