Hi all,
I got this scruffy little coin at an auction described as a triobol (1.76g, 13mm) of Akarnania, Federal coinage, Stratos mint ca 420 BC.
However when I try to look up some references, there seems to be some conflicting information.
The HGC preface of Oiniadai says:
Quote:
A recent study has convincingly argued that several drachm emissions formerly treated as federal issues of the Akarnanian League struck at Stratos in the late 4th century BC are actually coins of Oiniadai.
... This [F] was once thought to reflect an archaic spelling of Akarnania as Wakarnania, although this form is not otherwise attested.
Since Woiniadai for Oiniadai does occur, and since a different series seem to belong to Anaktorion (Wanaktorion), the acheloos and digamma drachms are most likely from Oiniadai.
It however only lists 2 drachms (HGB 896, 897) under Oiniadai.
Another drachm with a retrograde F is listed under Anaktorion (HGC 767).
I didn't see any triobol. There's one under Anaktorion, but with 'T' isn'tead of 'F'.
BCD Akarnania/Aitolia however says the reverse in the Oiniadai preface:
Quote:
von Oiniadai sind keine Silbermünzen belegt; die früher der Stadt zugeschriebenen Prägungen mit dem Digamma I'm Revers, gelten heute allgemein als in Stratos geprägte Bundesmünzen,...
Basically "the coins with 'F' that were once attributed to Oiniadai are today generally attributed to Stratos as the federal mint"
It lists the digamma hemidrachms under Stratos as the federal mint.
Historia Numorum says the same as BCD:
Quote:
For the silver coins with the digamma (F) ... formerly attributed to Oeniadae, see Stratus.
But if it's true that there's no historical record of 'Wakarnania', I'm more inclined to follow the attribution of HGC, sice we do have coins for both Oiniadai and Anaktorion with digamma.
HGC is also the more recent of the mentioned references; 2014 vs 2007 for the BCD catalogue.
But then I'm still no closer whether to file this coin under Oiniadai or Anaktorion.
Personally I would guess Oiniadai given the Acheloos depiction on the reverse, but I'm afraid I'm a bit too biased since that would allow me to put an new dot at Oiniadai on my map, while Anaktorion doesn't ...
Are there any more modern references I could check or any idea how I would go about finding that (unreferenced) 'recent study' mentioned by HGC?
Posted 12/08/2020 6:26 pm
to the community
