Join me in celebrating the 2338th Birthday of one of histories greatest generals, step cousin to Alexander the great (on his mom's side) and all around quotable tough dude, Pyrrhus of Epirus, born this day in 319BCE. He spent his life fighting Greeks, Romans and Carthaginians. And made some pretty amazing coins along the way... To get started, here is my most recent rarity of his that I've been waiting for an excuse to show off: Pyrrhus EPIRUS. AMBRAKIA. Kings of Epirus., 297-272 BCE AE (5.15g, 20 mm). Obv .: Head of Zeus left Reverse: lightening bundle in oak wreath between B and Pyrrhus monogram. SNG Cop. 102; BMC 44; HGC 3.1 271. Green patinated Ex: Savoca Pyrrhus (278-276 BCE) Sicily, Syracuse, AE 23mm 10.25 gr, head of young Herakles left, wearing lion's skin, rev. Athena Promachos advancing right (SNG ANS 852), attractive smooth green patina, good very fine SICILY, Syracuse Pyrrhos. 278-276 BC. Æ Litra 21mm. Head of Herakles left, wearing lion skin; [cornucopia behind] / Athena Promachos right; wreath to left. Aaand, you didn't think you'd get through this post without seeing one of his glorious MSCs, did ya? Pyrrhos of Epiros 287-285 BC and 274-273 BC. Æ Unit (17.5mm, 4.82 g, 6h). Pella mint. Macedonian shield with Monogram of Pyrrhos on boss / Macedonian helmet; BAΣI below; all within oak wreath. AMNG III/2, –; HGC 3, 272; SNG Alpha Bank 970. VF So, please post those pyrrhic coins, quotes or whatever runs the Roman's off your field!
Though not technically a coin of Pyrrhus, this coin of Taras was minted while he was trying to carve out a little empire in the west. Unfortunately he discovered that the Romans are an acquired taste. Nomos of Taras 280-272 A.D. Obv. Light cavalryman on prancing horse right. Rv. Phalanthos dismounting from dolphin rught. Below elephant. Vlasta 712 6.41 grms 21 mm Photo by W. Hansen
Nice writeup and very nice coin capture, @Ryro ! NICE! CUPLA THESE GEMS: Syracuse Sicily Pyrrhus 278-275 BCE AE 24mm 9.2g HeraklesHd - Athena Promachos SG1213 LE584 Left Syracuse Sicily Pyrrhus Epirus 278-276 BCE AE Litra 11.4g 23.3mm Herakles Nemaean Lion scalp - Athena Promachos tbolt shield SNG Cop 813, SNG ANS 852 Left
And, this one has some cool history INSPIRED by PYRRHOS: ETRURIA, Arretium (?). The Chiana Valley. Circa 208-207 BC. Æ Quartunica . Head of African right; monogram to left / Indian elephant standing right, bell around neck; monogram below. HN Italy 69; SNG ANS 41 (same obv. die); SNG Copenhagen 48 var. (no monogram on obv.). rare. This enigmatic issue has been much discussed. It was Sestini in 1816 who first indicated their area of circulation in and around the Chiana (Clanis) valley and lake Trasimeno, dominated by the cities of Arezzo, Chiusi and Cortona. The traditional attribution of the issue to 217 BC, as representing the propaganda of Hannibal’s approach to Etruria, was modified by Robinson (op. cit.), who saw it as a provocative seditious type of Arretium, which was in a state of high tension with Rome in 209/8, in the hoped for arrival of Hasdrubal from Spain with reinforcements. However, the reverse depicts an Indian rather than African elephant with a bell around its neck reminiscent of the elephant/saw aes signatum issue (Crawford 9/1) of about 250-240 BC and associated with the battle of Maleventum (soon to be called Beneventum) in 275 BC when the captured elephants of Pyrrhus were brought to Rome in triumph. A similar Indian elephant is also depicted as a symbol on the Tarantine nomos issue (Vlasto 710-712), indicating the presence of Pyrrhus in the city in 282-276. The Barcid coinage of New Carthage (Villaronga CNH, pg. 65, 12-15) and that of Hannibal in Sicily (SNG Cop. 382) clearly depict African elephants belonging to the elephant corps from about 220 BC. As Maria Baglione points out in "Su alcune parallele di bronzo coniato," Atti Napoli 1975, pg.153-180, the African/elephant issue shares control marks with other cast and struck Etruscan coins of the region, she quotes Panvini Rosati in ‘ Annuario dell’accademia Etrusca di Cortona XII’, 1964, pg. 167ff., who suggests the type is to be seen as a moneyer’s badge or commemorative issue in the style of Caesar’s elephant/sacrificial implements issue of 49/48 BC (Crawford 443/1). The elephant, an attribute of Mercury/Turms, is an emblem of wisdom and is also a symbol of strength and of the overcoming of evil
Great post and coins @Ryro! Your last quote is my status for some time Happy birthday to my great (x30) grandfather. Syracuse, Sicily - Pyrrhos AR Oktobol (278–276 B.C.). 'Old collection toning'. Obverse: Head of Persephone to left, wearing wreath of grain leaves and pendant earrings; poppy seed behind. Reverse: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - ΠΥΡΡΟΥ; Athena Alkidemos advancing left, brandishing spear with her right hand and holding shield aloft in her left. 5.20g; 20mm Kingdom of Epeiros. Pyrrhos. Bronze coin (297–272 B.C.) Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus Dodonaeus left. Reverse: Thunderbolt; above: B, below: ΠYP monogram; all within oak wreath. Kingdom of Macedon. Pyrrhos. Bronze coin (287–285 B.C. and 274-273 B.C.) Obverse: Macedonian shield with monogram of Pyrrhos (ΠYP) in central boss. Reverse: BA - ΣI, with Labrys monogram in middle. Macedonian helmet within oak wreath. Reference: HGC 3 I, 272 (this coin); AMNG 1 4.13g; 17mm A HGC plate coin: (Thanks @zumbly for the picture)
Great general, merciful conqueror, and a brave man, but a terrible statesman. When I first read about his exploits in Italy and Sicily I honestly thought he suffered from ADHD. I can’t remember where but I heard that of all the successor Kings, it was Pyrrhus who resembled Alexander the Great the most in mannerisms. Fun fact, at the battle of Ipsus in 301 BCE, a young Pyrrhus along with Demetrius I, faced off against Antiochus I( aged 22/3) on the Allied right flank. Pyrrhus and Demetrius managed to push Antiochus I off the field, but were prevented from falling on the exposed Allied center by the quick thinking Seleucus and his elephants! Intresting to think these two men potentially swung their swords at each other with the intention to kill. Antiochus I Soter Type: Tetradrachm Date: c. 264-263 BCE. Workshop/City Name: Seleucia on the Tigris Metal: silver Diameter: 30 mm Corner Axis: 7 a.m. Weight: 16.84 g. Degree of rarity: R1 GenZ memes of our favorite tile headed Diadochi.
Hannibal said he was after Alexander the great, the 2nd best general. And indeed he was a great general, but with too much ambition and sometimes recklessness. He already made a big mistake going to Sicily to fight Carthage, how could he have possibly thought he could fight both the Romans and the Carthaginians and win, both being two great powers and Pyrrhos army containing mostly mercenary troops and his treasury declining over time. He should have stayed and focused in Southern Italy. Then after his 'defeat' at Italy, he chased his ambition again to become King of Macedonia, then his ambition to control the Peloponnese by interfering with Sparta and Argos which let to his son dying in Sparta and himself laying dead in the streets Argos. He wanted too much at once, he couldn't maintain focus and that led to his utter defeat. If he focused in Southern Italy who knows what he could have done.
