Nomos circa 540-520, AR 7.82 g. 31mm Bull standing l. on dotted bar, head reverted; in exergue, VM. The whole within dotted border. Rev. Same type incuse on broken bar, without legend. The whole within radiate border. Historia Numorum Italy 1729. Cf. SNG Copenhagen 1388.

Gorini 1 and enlarged p. 107 (this coin).

An extremely rare variety. Nicely toned and good very fine
Ex Triton sale 1, 1998, 121. Barry Fierstein Collection. From the Gillette collection 1924

NAC 39 Lot 5 May 17th, 2007


Sybaris (Greek: Σύβαρις; Italian: Sibari) was a celebrated city of Magna Graecia on the western shore Gulf of Taranto, a short distance from the sea, between the rivers Crathis (Crati) and Sybaris (Coscile). The last of these, from which it derived its name, at the present day falls into the Crati about 5 km from its mouth, but in ancient times undoubtedly pursued an independent course to the sea. Sybaris was apparently the earliest of all the Greek colonies in this part of Italy, being founded, according to the statement of Scymnus Chius, as early as 720 BCE. The site is located within the limits of the present-day comune of Cassano allo Ionio, in the province of Cosenza (Calabria), Italy.

Sybaris was Italy’s most prosperous Achaean colony. Sybaris was destroyed in 510 BC by Croton which exiled the colonists. The Athenians and Sybarite descendants established themselves in a joint colony, New Sybaris, in 443. Eventually, making themselves unpopular, the Sybarites were expelled and the remaining colonists refounded their city near the spring of Thuria.

The word Sybaritic has become a byword meaning extreme luxury and a seeking for pleasure and comfort