THRACO-MACEDONIAN REGION. Berge (?). Circa 525-480 BC. Stater (Silver, 20 mm, 9.89 g). Ithyphallic satyr standing right, grasping right wrist of nymph fleeing to right with his right hand and supporting her chin with his left. Rev. Rough incuse square divided diagonally. AMNG III, 14 ('Lete'). Psoma p. 61 ('Berge'). SNG ANS 956 ('Lete'). Svoronos 16 and pl. VIII, 2 (same obverse die). Traité I, 1569 ('Lete'). An exceptional coin with a remarkable pedigree, beautifully toned and of powerful late Archaic style. Extremely fine.


Although traditionally assigned 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 the native 'barbarian' tribes.