The Wolf of Argos

[Curtisimo]

I really enjoy the archaic Peloponnesian coin design convention of using a locally prominent animal as the main obverse design and an incuse / letter for the reverse.  Some examples of this convention are the sea turtle of Aegina, the dove of Sikyon and (as shown here) the wolf or Argos. These 5^th century issues are not very common so I was pretty happy to pick this one up for near opening bid last year.

ARGOLIS, Argos
Triobol AR, struck ca. 450-430 BC. 
Dia.: 14 mm
Wt.: 2.84 g
Obv.: Forepart of wolf left, ΣO beneath head
Rev.: Large A, pellet below, two shallow incuses above, all within shallow incuse square.
Ref.: BCD Peloponnesos 1030.
From Savoca 138th Silver Auction, lot 61 (July 17, 2022)

I enjoy coins from the Peloponnesian War period and this coin is about as good as I will be able to get for representing Argos. Argos played a role in the war as the only Peloponnesian polis not aligned with Sparta which meant that the threat of an Athenian alliance was always present.  Argos did not strike very many large demonination coins, such as drachms, in the 5^th century. This is probably because the economic fortunes of the city took a beating in 494 BC when almost all men of military age were killed by the Spartans in the Battle of Sepeia. The massacre was so complete that the Spartans even committed sacrilege by burning down a sacred grove of trees in which the survivors of the battle were seeking sanctuary in order to kill them all.  Over 6,000 hoplites from Argos were killed in total. It took Argos generations to rebuild its hoplite population.

Because of this both the influence and the economy of Argos tended to be more regional.  These triobols served as the primary and largest denomination coin struck by Argos in the lead up to the Peloponnesian War.

The wolf was a common animal in the Argolid plain in antiquity.  The cult of Apollo Lyceius (wolf-god) was prominent in the city.  There was a temple of Apollo Lyceius directly adjacent to the Agora as well as a statue of a wolf and bull whose story was described by Plutarch:

• “when Danaüs first landed in the country, near Pyramia in the district of Thyreatis, and was on his way to Argos, he saw a wolf fighting with a bull; and conceiving that he himself was represented by the wolf (since both were strangers and were attacking the natives), he watched the battle to its end, and when the wolf had prevailed, paid his vows to Apollo Lyceius (the wolf-god), attacked the city, and was victorious, after Gelanor, who was at that time king of Argos, had been driven out by a faction. This, then, was the significance of the dedication.”

Please post your coins of Argos, wolves, the Peloponnese or anything you think is relevant!

Edited April 13, 2023 by Curtisimo

[Alegandron]

 
ARGOLIS. Argos. Circa 490-470 BC.
AR Triobol, 14mm, 2.9g, 12h.
Obv.: Forepart of wolf lying down right.
Rev.: Large A; two small incuse squares above, pellet below crossbar; all within shallow square incuse.
Reference: BCD Peloponnesos 1009.
Ex-Coin Galleries, Ex-BCD
Ex: @John Anthony 
Comments: Argos is one of the oldest inhabited cities in history. During the classical period, they were a powerful rival of Sparta for dominance over the Peloponnese. The citizens of Argos were also famed for their various festivals and celebrations, pottery and bronze sculpturing schools, tanneries, and manufacturers of fine clothing.
This is an EXTREMELY rare variety of early triobol, with the wolf facing right. The vast majority of the early triobols have the wolf facing left. Later issues feature the wolf facing right quite often
This coin is ex-BCD, with his tag, which reads “From the Coin Galleries, MBS, Nov. 12, 1986, lot 73

[Curtisimo]

1 minute ago, Alegandron said:

 
ARGOLIS. Argos. Circa 490-470 BC.
AR Triobol, 14mm, 2.9g, 12h.
Obv.: Forepart of wolf lying down right.
Rev.: Large A; two small incuse squares above, pellet below crossbar; all within shallow square incuse.
Reference: BCD Peloponnesos 1009.
Ex-Coin Galleries, Ex-BCD
Ex: @John Anthony 
Comments: Argos is one of the oldest inhabited cities in history. During the classical period, they were a powerful rival of Sparta for dominance over the Peloponnese. The citizens of Argos were also famed for their various festivals and celebrations, pottery and bronze sculpturing schools, tanneries, and manufacturers of fine clothing.
This is an EXTREMELY rare variety of early triobol, with the wolf facing right. The vast majority of the early triobols have the wolf facing left. Later issues feature the wolf facing right quite often
This coin is ex-BCD, with his tag, which reads “From the Coin Galleries, MBS, Nov. 12, 1986, lot 73

LOVE this early example triobol! Also, it is good to see you posting my friend!

[Alegandron]

🙂 I really like your Argos Wuff! Great find @Curtisimo. Yeah, I am here, just a little infrequent due to work and my new puppy!

Edited April 13, 2023 by Alegandron

[shanxi]

Nice coins, here is my wolf.

Argos
AR-Obol, 330-270 v.Chr
Obv.: Av: Head of wolf right
Rev: Large A; Π-P across upper field, club right below; all within incuse square.
BCD Peloponnesos 1085, SNG Copenhagen -; BMC Peloponnesus pg. 143, 93.

 

[AncientOne]

This triobol is a 30 years before and the small Æ9 is just after the war.  

Argos, Argolis. AR triobol

Obv: Forepart of wolf left.
Rev: A in shallow square incuse; below, pellet.
480-460 B.C.
BCD 1015

 

 

Argolis, Argos. Æ9 (Circa 400-375 BC).

Obv: Head of Hera left, wearing stephane.
Rev: Head of wolf right.
BCD Peloponnesos 1120

[Alegandron]

I really like Wuff coins!

Makedon Amyntas II 395-393 BCE Æ12 2.0g Aigai or Pella mint Hd Pan - Forepart wolf chewing bone SNG Alpha Bank 179-80 Very Rare

 

RR Hd Juno Sospita R goat skin  hddrss She-wolf R placing stick on fire eagle stndng fanning flames 45 BCE  19.0mm 4.07g Cr 472-1

 

This is one of my FAVORITES:  Wolf's head on ground (symbol of Roma), Foot ON head, and the Moneyer is from a SAMNITE family - only a few years after the Social War (91-87 BCE)!  LOL, subtle message on a ROMAN coin...

Roman Republic
Cn. Egnatius Cn.f. Cn.n. Maxsumus,
76 BCE Denarius, Rome.
[MAXSVMVS Diademed and draped bust of Libertas to right, wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace; behind, pileus.
Rev. [V] - CN•N / C•EGNATIVS•CN•F Roma, on left, standing facing, left foot set on wolf's head and holding staff with her right hand, and Venus, on right, standing facing, holding staff right and with cupid alighting on her shoulder; rudder standing on prow on either side.
Ref: Babelon (Egnatia) 3. Sear 326 Crawford 391/3. RBW 1429. Sydenham 787

Story, very truncated:
The moneyer's family were originally a plebeian family of equestrian rank and were Samnites (had fought against Rome in THREE Samnite Wars (343–341 BCE, 326–304 BCE, and 298–290 BCE). After the Social War (91-87 BCE, with the Samnites holding out to 87 BCE), a part of the family moved to Rome, with a couple of them becoming Senators. However, one of the Senators was expelled, and also disowned his Senator Son. "No one has a satisfactory reason for this scene..." Hmmm... I wonder; this guy came from a Rebel Family (Samnites), and the Samnites were virtually exterminated after the Social War by Sulla. I think Roma stepping on a Wolf's severed head might say something...

[dougsmit]

My wolf was a bit later (3rd century - Sear2794var) and is special to me since it came from the 1989 estate of a friend, Grant Edwards, who got it from HMF Schulman.  Most of Grant's better Greek coins were sent to a dealer but this one was small, ragged and beneath the notice of the big guys.  I was happy to give it a relatively long term home (34 years and counting).

 

Wolf and twins coins are common. I always liked the Republican which left the kids at home.

[Kazuma78]

I really enjoy coins from Argos and like seeing everyone else's examples. Here is the only example I have at this time, picked up earlier this year.

ARGOLIS. Argos. Circa 330-270 BC. Silver obol (10mm, .86 g). Head of wolf left, teeth bared, Σ (retrograde) above / large A, Π — Ρ across upper field, club left below, all within incuse square. BMC-94, BCD Peloponnesos 1090-1091. Extremely fine with attractive iridescent toning and luster remaining. 
Ex. Freeman & Sear Manhattan Sale III (January 3, 2012) lot 130
Ex Dr. Charles L. Ruby Collection (Superior, Part 2, 17-22 June 1974, lot 218).

[Ryro]

Great thread Curtis!

It appears that your example has some graffiti above the A. I see a K and V. 

Clearly an ancient Greek name Kevin owned this coin🤪

And my recent pick up of Oddyseus and doggie Argos

[Sulla80]

@Curtisimo great coin and write-up - you've brought out some interesting coins from all!  Here's a coin of Argolis ~4 centuries later.  This one comes with a bit of speculation by J H Kroll in 1996:

"The eagle replicates the reverse eagle on Ptolemaic coins, whose types were imitated on contemporary bronze coinage of Thessalonika, Athens, Argo,, and Megopolis, surely in honor of Kleopatra, who in more explicit recognition was honored on coins of Patras."

- KROLL, JOHN H. “Hemiobols to Assaria: The Bronze Coinage of Roman Aigion.” The Numismatic Chronicle (1966-), vol. 156, 1996, pp. 49–78. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/42667946.

This is dismissed, so far, by both Leu and CNG as "does not seem to be compelling at this time".  more on this here: https://www.sullacoins.com/post/greeks-wolves-and-cleopatra

Argolis, Argos, circa 90-50 BC, AR Triobol, Hieron (IEPΩNOΣ), magistrate

Obv: Forepart of wolf at bay left

Rev: Large A; I-E/P-Ω/NO-Σ in three lines around; below crossbar, eagle standing right on thunderbolt; all within incuse square

Size: 14mm 2.43g

Ref: BCD Peloponnesos 1177-8

Edited April 29, 2023 by Sulla80