Help with a Roman coin

MSD61

Hi all! I need help with this Roman coin. First, were Roman coins struck from silver? Second, does Calabria (Tarentum) AR DI Drachm (Spurious) mean anything to you? This coin weighs 6.5 grams. Any help would be great.

coachleonard

Hmmm-- that would definitely be a B.C era Greek silver coin! Just at a glance it appears authentic-- but a word of caution: nice Greek silver coins have certainly known to be counterfeited.

MSD61

The coin is from Calabria Tarentum and is Greek. It weighs 6.5 grams, is made of silver and here is a little history I found about it:

Mediterranean, Italy, Tarentum (The heel on the boot of Italy)

Manufacturing Technique Minting coins was a relatively simple process. The mint itself consisted of an anvil, which would create the obverse image, and a die press, which produced the reverse figure. The silver was weighted to the correct monetary value and was then heated in a furnace until it was pliable. The metal was placed on the anvil and the die press was positioned above it. The minter then struck the die press with a hammer to print the images. Errors in this type of minting are common and many coins were struck too lightly, struck twice (which created a double image), or were stamped off-center.
Materials Silver
Function Currency, trade.

Designs/Symbolism The image on the reverse of the coin represents Taras, the legendary founder of the city of Tarentum. Said to be a son of Poseidon, Taras was saved from a shipwreck by a dolphin sent by his father. The image of Taras on this coin shows him riding the dolphin, while in his right hand he carries a cornucopia (now worn away). In his other hand is a drinking cup called the cantharus and behind him is a tripod. The horseman on the obverse side of the coin likely refers to the city's rich pastures, which became well known for horse breeding.
Size 1cm diameter
Other Information The city of Tarentum was founded by Spartans who had been instructed to settle by the Taras River in Italy by the Oracle of Delphi.

I don't think this is counterfit because the man that sold me this coin knows his ancient coins. That's all he does. But that doesn't mean he could have not been fooled himself