CYPRUS. Salamis. Evagoras I, circa 411-374 BC. Stater (Silver, 24 mm, 11.14 g, 10 h). 𐠁-𐠄-𐠲𐠍𐠦 ('e-u-wa-ko-ro' in Cypriot syllabic script) Youthful Herakles, nude, seated right on rock draped with lion skin, holding rhyton in his left hand and leaning on club with his right. Rev. 𐠞-𐠪𐠐𐠵/𐠩 ('pa-si-le-wo-se' in Cypriot syllabic script) He-goat recumbent to right; below to right, E. BMC -. Masson & Amandry 1a-c. Roma E-Auction 4 (2013), 330. SNG Copenhagen -. Tziambazis -. Very rare. A beautiful, well struck and unusually complete example. Minor edge cracks and with very light doubling on the reverse, otherwise, good very fine.


We know Evagoras I, the King of Salamis, primarily from Isokrates, who stylized him as a Greek patriot and culture-bringer in the manner of a mirror for princes. Reality, as often is the case, was more complex. As a vassal of the Achaemenids, Evagoras simultaneously supported the Athenian Konon, who was fighting against the Spartans in the 390s BC. Coincidentally, he sought dominion over the entire island of Cyprus for himself, bringing him into conflict with the Persians, who sought to prevent a political unification of the island. The anti-Persian revolt of 391 BC was definitively crushed in 380/79 BC, yet Evagoras was allowed to retain his throne and ruled until 374/3 BC when he was murdered by the eunuch Thrasydaios.