THRACO-MACEDONIAN REGION. Berge (?). Circa 525-480 BC. Stater (Silver, 21 mm, 9.91 g). Ithyphallic satyr standing right, grasping right wrist of nymph fleeing to right with his right hand and supporting her chin with his left; above, pellet. Rev. Rough incuse square divided diagonally. AMNG III, 14 ('Lete'). Peykov A0020. Psoma p. 61 ('Berge'). SNG ANS 957 ('Lete'). Svoronos 16. Traité I, 1569 ('Lete'). Beautifully toned and unusually well preserved, a splendid example of this wonderful Archaic issue. Extremely fine.


Traditionally given to Lete or Siris, S. Psoma reassigned this wonderful series to Berge in what later became the Thasian Peraia. The coins contain the satyr and nymph motive, a highly sexually charged design showing the ferocious and aroused satyr abusing the mannered nymph. Such images of wilderness clashing with civilization were especially popular in frontier regions such as the Thraco-Macedonian coast, where Greek apoikiai came into close contact with native 'barbarian' tribes.