Nomos 37

ISLANDS OFF CARIA, Rhodos. Rhodes. Circa 404-385 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 25.5 mm, 15.08 g, 12 h). Head of Helios facing, turned slightly to the right. Rev. POΔION Rose in profile, bud to left; in right field, Φ above eight-rayed star. Ashton 39. Bérend, Tétradrachmes 58 (D46/R-, unrecorded reverse die). Hecatomnus 80. HN Online 1029 (temporary). Weber 6714. With a dramatic and highly artistic facing head of Helios, struck in very high relief. Nearly extremely fine.

This wonderful tetradrachm truly represents the high point of the Rhodian die-engraver's art in its depiction of both the sun-god Helios on the obverse and the rose civic badge on the reverse. It is impossible not to become entranced by the hypnotic gaze of the god on the obverse. His treatment is ultimately inspired by the fashionable facing portrait of Arethusa created by Kimon of Syracuse at the end of the fifth century BC, but his flowing, windswept hair seems to place him squarely in the sky above the Aegean Sea at the moment his beloved island of Rhodos rose from beneath the waves. The rose (rhodon in Greek) is a punning reference to the name of the issuing city, but here the flower has been rendered so delicately that we can almost smell its intoxicating perfume. Interestingly enough, during early viewing a number of clients were convinced that they actually could smell a delightful, floral perfume whilst examining this coin! Upon inspection, it turned out to be coming from one of our secretaries...