LUCANIA, Metapontum. c. 340-330 BC
LUCANIA, Metapontum. c. 340-330 BC
AR Stater, c. 340-330 BC, 7.76g (20mm, 5h).
Leukippos right wearing Corinthian helmet. Ethnic behind head / Kernal of grain with thunderbolt symbol to right and META to left
Pedigree: Ex NAC O, 13, May 2004, lot 1122 (Athos Moretti Coll.). Stack's Bowers & Ponterio 8 August 2012, lot 20380
References: Johnston, Metapont III, B 4.1 (this coin). Rutter, HN 1577
Grade: Somewhat tight flan. Obverse of Leukippos is sharply struck with some minor wear. A few minor flan defects on the face. Reverse is nicely struck also with some areas of slight wear on the high points. Thunderbolt symbol on right is partially off flan, as well as a small part of the legend. EF. (gk1704)
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Metapontion was an ancient colony on the Gulf of Taranto founded by Greeks from Achaea but re-colonized in the seventh century by Sybarites under the leadership of Leukippos. It was a wealthy city, known for its agricultural prosperity, but it was abandoned in the second Punic War in 207 B.C.
The obverse of this stater depicts the city's founder, Leukippos. Leukippos was a source of local pride; legend had it that he had won Metapontion through trickery from its neighbor and rival, Taras (Strabo, Geography 6, 265). These staters, issued in great numbers in the last third of the fourth century, are often connected with the campaigns of Alexander the Molossian, who was invited by Taras to help defend the local Greek cities against the Lucanians and other non-Greek peoples in the interior