SICILY. Messana. Circa 420-413 BC. Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 17.30 g, 12 h). MEΣΣANA The nymph Messana, wearing long chiton and holding reins in both hands and kentron in her right, driving biga of mules to right; in exergue, two dolphins confronted. Rev. MEΣ-ΣA-NI-O-N Hare springing to right; below, dolphin right. Caltabiano Series XIV, 519 (D207/R216). SNG Copenhagen 400 (same dies). SNG Lockett 826 (same dies). SNG München 654 (same dies). Lightly toned, perfectly centered and very attractive. Very light porosity and with minor traces of overstriking, otherwise, nearly extremely fine.



The types of this beautiful tetradrachm are closely associated with the tyrant Anaxilas of Rhegion, who captured the neighbouring city of Zankle around 488 BC and renamed it Messana after Messenia in the western Peloponnese, the homeland of both himself and his new colonists. In 480 BC, Anaxilas won an Olympic victory in the mule-car race, an achievement that became a source of pride for the new settlement and to which the obverse types of its later tetradrachms allude. The hare, meanwhile, was said to have been introduced to Sicily from Messenia by Anaxilas and later became the emblem of Messana.