Rarest Civic “Wreath-Bearer”
AEOLIS, Aigai. Circa 151-143 BC. AR Tetradrachm (31.5mm, 16.16 g, 12h). Stephanophoric type. Wreathed head of Apollo Smintheos right, bow and quiver over shoulder / AIΓAIΩN, Zeus standing left, holding eagle and scepter; monogram to left; all within oak wreath. SNG Ashmolean 1252; SNG von Aulock 1595; SNG Copenhagen 6. Attractive cabinet tone, a few minor obverse die flaws and reverse wear. Good VF. Rare.
Aigai was one of the cities of the “Aeolian Dodecapolis” and a sanctuary of Apollo Smintheos (”Apollo the Mouse-God” or, alternatively, “Mice-Killer”). On this attractive type, Apollo appears with a bow and quiver of arrows at his shoulder, as often borne by his sister, Artemis. The “mouse god” / “mice-killer” epithet is rather puzzling and refers to Apollo’s connection with a myth of coastal Asia Minor that seems to have been garbled in the retelling. Of all the mints to strike tetradrachms of stephanophoric (”wreath-bearer”) type, Aigai had one of the smallest outputs, with just four obverse dies known today (cf. U. Westermark, “En tetradrachm från Aigai i Aiolis” in Festschrift Lagerqvist, pp. 471–5).
