How to Identify the Selinus (Selinunte) River God Tetradrachm

What This Coin Is

This is a silver tetradrachm struck by the Greek city of Selinus (modern Selinunte) on the southwestern coast of Sicily, mainly during the fifth century BC. The city's name is linked to the Greek word selinon, meaning celery or wild parsley, and this plant appears as a recurring symbol on its coinage.

Obverse Design

The obverse commonly shows Apollo and his sister Artemis riding together in a slow-moving quadriga, with Apollo often shown driving while Artemis stands beside him, sometimes holding the reins or a bow. This joint depiction of the two deities in a chariot is a distinctive feature of Selinus's coinage compared to the single-charioteer scenes found at many other Sicilian mints.

Reverse Design

The reverse depicts the local river god, usually identified as Selinos or Hypsas, standing beside an altar and pouring a libation or sacrificing, often with a bull nearby and a heron or other bird in the scene. A celery leaf, the city's emblematic plant referencing its name, frequently appears in the field as an additional symbol. The ethnic ΣΕΛΙΝΟΝΤΙΟΝ or a similar form is inscribed nearby.

Size, Weight, and Metal

Struck in silver on the Attic-Sicilian weight standard, these tetradrachms typically weigh close to 17 grams and measure roughly 24 to 27 millimeters in diameter, with the usual plain, hand-struck edge.

Mint Marks and Where to Find Them

Look for the celery leaf symbol in the field on either side, along with the ethnic naming Selinus, as the clearest confirming details. The exact placement of the river god, altar, and any accompanying animal varies somewhat between issues, providing further clues for distinguishing specific varieties.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

The dual Apollo-and-Artemis chariot obverse is unusual among Sicilian mints, most of which show a single charioteer, making it a strong first clue for a Selinus attribution. The sacrificial river-god reverse, especially combined with the celery leaf, further separates this type from other river-god or altar scenes used at different cities, since the specific plant symbol is unique to Selinus's civic identity.

Judging Condition at a Glance

On the obverse, check the figures of Apollo and Artemis, the chariot, and the horses' legs for sharpness, since this crowded composition has many fine details that wear unevenly. On the reverse, the river god's figure, the altar, and the celery leaf are the key focal points; a coin that retains a clearly visible celery leaf and altar detail is in better condition than one where these smaller elements have worn away.

Authenticity Red Flags

Because this type's reverse scene is unusually detailed and narrative for Sicilian coinage, forgeries sometimes simplify or blur the sacrificial scene, omitting fine details like the celery leaf or the bird. A grainy or overly soft surface texture, a seam line around the edge, or an implausibly light weight are all signs of a cast or modern reproduction rather than a genuine struck coin. Comparing the specific arrangement of figures against well-documented examples is useful, since Selinus's reverse composition is more complex than most contemporary Sicilian types and harder to replicate convincingly by casting alone.