CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS. Pantikapaion. Circa 310–304/3 BC. AE

CIMMERIAN BOSPOROS. Pantikapaion. Circa 310–304/3 BC. AE (Orichalcum, 23 mm, 7.63 g, 11 h).

Obv. Bearded head of a Satyr to right, his expression animated and wild, with flowing hair and pointed ear.

Rev. Π–A–N. Forepart of a griffin to left, raising forepaw and with wings erect; below, sturgeon swimming left.

Refs. HGC 7, 113; MacDonald 69; SNG BM Black Sea 869–871; SNG Stancomb 541–542.

Struck at Pantikapaion, the wealthy and powerful metropolis of the Cimmerian Bosporos (modern Kerch in Crimea), this impressive bronze coin belongs to one of the most celebrated civic series of the late Classical period. The obverse portrays the head of a Satyr, perhaps Pan himself—the city’s divine namesake—rendered with striking vitality. His features, a blend of human and bestial, evoke both the creative and chaotic forces of nature: thick beard, wild mane, and pointed ear embody the unrestrained Dionysiac energy that symbolised Pantikapaion’s identity as a city thriving between Greek civilisation and the barbarian world beyond the Black Sea.

On the reverse appears the griffin, the mythical guardian of the northern gold lands, long associated with Apollo and the Hyperborean legends that shrouded the Scythian steppe. Here it springs left in a bold archaic pose, its foreleg raised in motion, embodying both vigilance and divine power. Beneath it swims a sturgeon, a local emblem of the Bosporan economy and a subtle nod to the region’s control of the rich fisheries of the Pontic waters—an elegant fusion of myth and geography.

These large bronzes represent the culmination of Pantikapaion’s artistry at the end of the 4th century BC, a time when the city reached its zenith under the Spartokid dynasty. As the capital of the Bosporan Kingdom, Pantikapaion served as a crucial node linking the Greek maritime world with the grain, fish, and metal resources of the northern steppes. The quality of engraving on this series rivals that of contemporary silver coinages of the mainland, distinguished by expressive modelling, strong local style, and masterful control of relief.

The choice of bronze or orichalcum rather than precious metal underscores the coin’s civic function—intended for local circulation within the kingdom—while still maintaining the high artistic standards that made Bosporan coinage famous throughout the Greek world. The Satyr–Griffin type, in particular, endures as one of the most visually compelling symbols of cultural synthesis between Greek myth, Pontic geography, and Scythian power.

Condition: A well-preserved and nicely centred example with handsome olive patina and clear detail on both sides.