Authentic Greek - AR Stater - Cilicia, Nagidus - Circa 400-333 BCE
$2,300
Denomination: AR Stater
Date: Circa (400-333) BC
Weight: 9.70 gm
Mint: Nagidus, Cilicia
Grade: NGC - 6330391-066 - Choice Fine
Description: CILICIA. Nagidus. AR Stater. Obverse: Aphrodite seated left on throne, holding phiale; to left, crowning Nike flying right; Reverse: Dionysus standing left, holding thyrsus and grape vine with bunch; TOΛ to lower left. A rare variety. Aphrodite seated left sacrificing over altar, Eros-Nike behind placing laurel on her head; Reverse: Dionysus standing left holding grape cluster and staff.
History: Finding definitive information on the pre-Hellenistic City of Nagidus has proven difficult. It seems any mention by Historians of Antiquity simply refer to the name by means of defining a location, only; as compared to describing the culture, customs, or history. Other information provided by modern scholars seems to be theoretical conjecture, i.e. providing a derivative theory behind the name, Nagidus, itself. The thought being, Nagidos was named after a possible 5th century BC founder named Nagis of Samos.
The location places us at the southwestern shore of Cilicia; with their closest coin minting neighbors of Kelenderis, lying 20 miles east. The devices and characters imply a free-loving, partying, wine drinking, nature loving people, but with a sense of devotion to the Gods. Which could be a variable in the reasoning why we don't see much history of this specific group of pre-Hellenistic Greeks, while everyone else was warring. This of course is a very loose opinion based off surface perception.
