SAMOS Island Off IONIA 439BC Bull Tetrobol Ancient Silver Greek Coin i46287

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SAMOS Island Off IONIA 439BC Bull Tetrobol Ancient Silver Greek Coin i46287:
$1750.00

Item: i46287

Authentic Ancient Coin of:

Greek island city of Samos, Islands Off Ionia
Silver Tetrobol 13mm (2.10 grams) Struck circa 439-394 B.C.
Reference: Barron -; BMC Ionia pg. 359, 100; Traité pg. 286, 455
Forepart of bull kneeling left.
Forepart of bull kneeling left within incuse square.

You are offerding on the exact item pictured, provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity.

Samos is aGreek island in theNorth Aegeansea, south of Chios, north ofPatmos and theDodecanese, and off the coast ofAsia Minor.

Geography

NASA Satellite photo of Samos

The Psalida Beach.At the distant background the Kerketeas Mount of Samos

The area of theisland is 478km2 (184.6sqmi), 43km (27mi) long and 13km (8mi) wide. It is separated fromAnatolia, by the approximately 1mile (1.6km)-wide Mycale Strait. While largely mountainous, Samos has several relatively large and fertile plains.

A great portion of the island is covered withvineyards, from which wine is made, including that from theVathy grapes. The most important plains are that of Pythagorio, in the southeast, Karlovasi in the northwest, and Marathokampos in the southwest. The island\'s population is 33,814, which is the 9th most populous of the Greek islands. The Samian climate is typically Mediterranean, with mild rainy winters, and warm rainless summers.

The largest mountain is the Ampelos massif, which occupies the center of the island and rises to 1,095metres (3,590ft). The island\'s highest point is the summit of the Kerkis range, at 1,434metres (4,700ft). The mountains are a continuation of theMycale range on the Anatolian mainland.

According toStrabo, the name Samos is from Phoenician meaning \"rise by the shore.\"1]

Economy

The Samian economy depends mainly on agriculture and the tourist industry which has been growing steadily since the early 1980s. The main agricultural products includegrapes,honey,olives,olive oil,citrus fruit, driedfigs andalmonds, and flowers. TheMuscat grape is the main crop used for wine production. Samian wine is also exported under several other appellations. Samian wines have won several international and domestic awards.citation needed]

Government

With the neighbouring islands ofIcaria andFourni, the island of Samos is administered as part of theSamos Prefecture. Samos includes four of the eightmunicipalities of the prefecture, which constitute more than 77 percent of the prefecture\'s population (2001 census). The island\'s capital and main port is the city of Vathy, most commonly called Samos; other municipalities areKarlovasi andPythagoreio. The smallest of the component municipalities isMarathokampos.

Samos has a sister town calledSamo, which is located inCalabria,Italy.

Early and Classical Antiquity

In classical antiquity the island was a centre ofIonian culture and luxury, renowned for its Samian wines and its red pottery (calledSamian ware by the Romans). Its most famous building, was theIonic order archaic Temple of goddessHera - theHeraion.

Concerning the earliest history of Samos, literary tradition is singularly defective. At the time of the great migrations it received an Ionian population which traced its origin toEpidaurus inArgolis: Samos became one of the twelve members of theIonian League. By the 7th century BC it had become one of the leading commercial centres of Greece. This early prosperity of the Samians seems largely due to the island\'s position near trade-routes, which facilitated the importation of textiles from inner Asia Minor, but the Samians also developed an extensive oversea commerce. They helped to open up trade with the population that lived around the Black sea as well as with Egypt, Cyrene (Libya), Corinth, and Chalcis. This caused them to become bitter rivals with Miletus. Samos was able to become so prominent despite the growing power of the Persian empire because of the alliance they had with the Egyptians and their powerful fleet. The Samians are also credited with having been the first Greeks to reach the Straits of Gibraltar. 2]]

The feud between Miletus and Samos broke out into open strife during the Lelantine War (7th century BC), with which we may connect a Samian innovation in Greek naval warfare, the use of thetrireme. The result of this conflict was to confirm the supremacy of the Milesians in Eastern waters for the time being; but in the 6th century the insular position of Samos preserved it from those aggressions at the hands of Asiatic kings to whichMiletus was henceforth exposed. About 535 BC, when the existing oligarchy was overturned by the tyrantPolycrates, Samos reached the height of its prosperity. Its navy not only protected it from invasion, but ruled supreme in Aegean waters. The city was beautified with public works, and its school, of sculptors, metal-workers and engineers achieved high repute.

Eupalinian aqueduct

In the 6th century BC Samos was ruled by the famoustyrantPolycrates. During his reign, two working groups under the lead of the engineerEupalinos dug a tunnel through Mount Kastro to build an aqueduct to supply the ancient capital of Samos with fresh water, as this was of the utmost defensive importance (since being underground, it was not easily detected by an enemy who could otherwise cut off the supply). Eupalinos\' tunnel is particularly notable for being the first tunnel in history to be methodically dug from both ends. With a length of over 1km, Eupalinos\' subterranean aqueduct is today regarded as one of the masterpieces of ancient engineering. The aqueduct is now part of theUNESCOWorld Heritage Site, thePythagoreion.

Persian Wars and Persian rule

After Polycrates death Samos suffered a severe blow when the PersianAchaemenid Empire conquered and partly depopulated the island. It had regained much of its power when in 499 BC it joined the general revolt of theIonian city-states against Persia; but owing to its long-standing jealousy of Miletus it rendered indifferent service, and at the decisive battle of Lade (494 BC) part of its contingent of sixty ships was guilty of outright treachery. In 479 BC the Samians led the revolt against Persia.

Peloponnesian War

During thePeloponnesian War (431–404 BC), Samos took the side of Athens againstSparta, providing their port to the Athenianfleet. In theDelian League they held a position of special privilege and remained actively loyal to Athens until 440 when a dispute with Miletus, which the Athenians had decided against them, induced them to secede. With a fleet of sixty ships they held their own for some time against a large Athenian fleet led byPericles himself, but after a protracted siege were forced to capitulate. It was punished, but Thucydides tells us not as harshly as other states which rebelled against Athens. Most in the past had been forced to pay tribute but Samos was only told to repay the damages that the rebellion cost the Athenians: 1,300 talents, to pay back in installments of 50 talents per annum.

At the end of the Peloponnesian War, Samos appears as one of the most loyal dependencies of Athens, serving as a base for the naval war against the Peloponnesians and as a temporary home of the Athenian democracy during therevolution of the Four Hundred at Athens (411 BC), and in the last stage of the war was rewarded with the Athenian franchise. This friendly attitude towards Athens was the result of a series of political revolutions which ended in the establishment of a democracy. After the downfall of Athens, Samos was besieged byLysander and again placed under an oligarchy.

In 394 the withdrawal of the Spartan navy induced the island to declare its independence and reestablish a democracy, but by the peace of Antalcidas (387) it fell again under Persian dominion. It was recovered by the Athenians in 366 after a siege of eleven months, and received a strong body of military settlers, thecleruchs which proved vital in theSocial War (357-355 BC). After theLamian War (322), when Athens was deprived of Samos, the vicissitudes of the island can no longer be followed.

Famous Samians of Antiquity

Perhaps the most famous persons ever connected with classical Samos were the philosopherPythagoras andAesop. In 1955 the town of Tigani was renamed Pythagoreio in honor of the philosopher.

Other notable personalities include the philosopherEpicurus, who was of Samian birth and theastronomerAristarchus of Samos, whom history credits with the first recordedheliocentric model of thesolar system. The historianHerodotus, known by hisHistories resided in Samos for a while.

Samos is also notable in the history of art, having produced a school of sculptors and architects that includedRhoecus, the architect of the temple of Hera, and the great sculptor and inventorTheodorus, who is said to have invented with Rhoecus the art of casting statues in bronze.

The vases of Samos were among the most characteristic products of lonian pottery in the 6th century.

Hellenistic & Roman Eras

For some time (about 275-270 B.C.) Samos served as a base for the Egyptian fleet of thePtolemies, at other periods it recognized the overlordship ofSeleucid Syria. In 189 B.C. it was transferred by the Romans to their vassal, theAttalid dynasty\'s Hellenistic kingdom ofPergamon, inAsia Minor.

Enrolled from 133 in the Roman province of Asia Minor, Samos sided withAristonicus (132) andMithridates (88) against its overlord, and consequently forfeited its autonomy, which it only temporarily recovered between the reigns of Augustus andVespasian. Nevertheless, Samos remained comparatively flourishing, and was able to contest withSmyrna andEphesus the title first city of lonia; it was chiefly noted as a health resort and for the manufacture of pottery. Since Emperor Diocletian\'sTetrarchy it became part of the Provincia Insularum, in the diocese of Asiana in the Eastern empire\'s pretorian prefecture of Oriens.

Byzantine & Genoese Eras

As part of theByzantine Empireee, Samos became the head of the Aegean theme (military district). After the 13th century it passed through much the same changes of government asChios, and, like the latter island, became the property of the Genoese firm of Giustiniani (1346-1566; 1475 interrupted by an Ottoman period).

Ottoman Rule

During the early years of theOttoman Empire most Samians abandoned the islandcitation needed]. Those remaining lived inland in small settlements up in the mountains, hiding from pirates and other invaders. Around the 17th century Samos was granted the status of a semi-independent state. Many Greeks of Samian decent as well as others from Greek speaking territories settled on the island. The village of Mytilinioi for example, was inhabited by people from the island ofMytilini. Other settlers followed from various provinces in mainland Greece and as far away as Albania. A substantial population came fromIpiros and therefore the accent of the Samians even till the present day resembles that of mainland Greece. Samos, (Ottoman Turkish: سيسام Sisam) belonged to theOttoman Empire since 1533, as part of the Elayet of Djeza\'ir-i Bahr-i Sefid i.e. \"of the White Sea\" (Mediterranean) until the year 1821.citation needed]

Greek Revolution

During the Greek War of Independence, Samos played a conspicuous part, setting up a revolutionary government under the following heads of local government:

18 April 1821 - April 1821 Konstantinos Lachanas
April 1821 - April 1828 Lykourgos Logothetis (1st time)
April 1828 - February 1829 Ioannis Kolettis (1st time)
February 1829 - October 1829 Dimitrios Christides
October 1829 - July 1830 Ioannis Kolettis (2nd time)
July 1830 - 1833 Lykourgos Logothetis (2nd time)

In July 1824, an ottoman army assembled to invade the island, but Greek naval victories offSamos and atGerontas averted the threat. The island remained free for the remainder of the war. Nevertheless, the treaties concluding the war, which established the independentGreek kingdom, again put Samos under Turkish suzerainty.

The autonomous Principality

In 1835, the Samians achieved self-government as a semi-independent state tributary to Ottoman Turkey, paying the annual sum of £2700.2] It was governed by a Christian of Greek descent though nominated by the Porte, who bore the title of \"Prince.\" The prince was assisted in his function as chief executive by a 4-member senate. These were chosen by him out of eight candidates nominated by the four districts of the island: Vathý, Khōra, Marathókampos, and Karlóvasi. The actual legislative power belonged to a chamber of 36 deputies, presided over by the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan. The seat of the government was the port of Vathý.

The consecutive \'princely\' governors were:

January 1833 - 1850 Stephanos Vogoridis (b. 1774 - d. 1869)
1850 - 1854 Alexandros Kallimachis
April 1854 - 1859 Ion Ghica (b. 1817 - d. 1897)
1859 - 1866 Miltiadis Stavraki Aristarchis (b. 1809 - d. 1893)
1866 - 1873 Pavlos Mousouros (b. 1810 - d. 1876)
1873 Georgios Georgiadis (1st time) (acting)
1873 - 1874 Konstantinos Adosidis (1st time) (b. 1818 - d. 1895)
27 May 1874 - 1879 Konstantinos Photiadis (b. 1830 - d. ....)
4 March 1879 - 1885 Konstantinos Adosidis (2nd time)
1885 - 1895 Alexandros Karatheodoris (b. 1833 - d. 1906)
1895 - 1896 Georgios Verovits (b. 1845 - d. ....)
July 1896 - 1899 Stephanos Mousouros (b. 1841 - d. 1907)
7 March 1899 - 1900 Konstantinos Vagianis (b. 1846 - d. 1919)
16 August 1900 - 1902 Michail Georgiadis (b. 1841 - d. 19..)
12 March 1902 - 5 May 1904 Alexandros Mavrogenis (b. 1845 - d. 1929)
5 May 1904 - 1906 Ioannis Vithynos (b. 1847 - d. 1912)
July 1906 - September 1906 Konstantinos Karatheodoris (b. 1841 - d. 1922)
August 1907 - January 1908 Georgios Georgiadis (2nd time)
January 1908 - 22 March 1912 Andreas Kopasis Omoudopoulos (b. 1856 - d. 1912)
April 1912 - August 1912 Grigorios Vegleris (b. 1862 - d. 1948)
August 1912 - 24 November 1912 Themistoklis Sophoulis; he also was president of the Revolutionary Assembly

The population in 1900 was about 54,830, not including the 15,000 Samians living nearby on the mainland. The predominant religion was the Greek Orthodox. The metropolitan district included Samos and Ikaria. In 1900 there were 634 foreigners on the island (523 Hellenes, 13 Germans, 29 French, 28 Austrians and 24 of other nationalities).citation needed]

The modern capital of the island was, until the early 20th century, atKhora, about 2miles (3.2km) from the sea and from the site of the ancient city.

After reconsidering political conditions, the capital was moved to Vathý, at the head of a deep bay on the North coast. This became the residence of the prince and the seat of government.

Since then a new town has grown, with a harbour.citation needed]

Modern Era

The island was finally united with theKingdom of Greecee in 1912, with the outbreak of the Balkan Wars. During World War II, the island was occupied by Italian and later German troops.

On August 3,1989, aShorts 330 aircraft of the Olympic Airways (nowOlympic Airlines) crashed near Samos Airport; thirty-one passengers died. In the summer of 2000 a fire burned about 30% of the island\'s forests.

Architecture

The island is the location of the jointUNESCOWorld Heritage Sites of theHeraion of Samos and thePythagoreion which were inscribed in UNESCO\'s World Heritage list in 1992.3

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