Eukleidas

Tetradrachm of Eukleidas from the time between 405 and 400 BC Chr .; Reverse: head of Athena in three-quarter view, dolphins to the right and left of the head, the signature ΕΥΚ - ΛΕΙΔ / Α on the far right ; Obverse: Quadriga

Tetradrachm from the period between 415 and 400 BC Chr .; Reverse: head of Arethusa in profile, dolphins swim around her head, signature of Eukleidas ( ΕΥΚΛ / ΕΙΔΑ ) on the right ; Obverse: Quadriga, signed by Eumenos ( ΕΥΜΗΝΟΥ )

Eukleidas ( ancient Greek Εὑκλείδας ) was a Greek coin die cutter who worked between 415 and 390 BC. Was active in the Sicilian Syracuse .

Eukleidas usually signed with his full name. His signatures can be found on coins that span almost the entire period of Syracusan coinage, during which coin dies were signed by their creators. He is considered equal to his two colleagues and artistic rivals Kimon and Euainetos . Eukleidas was probably the first die cutter to create a god's head in three-quarter view. The change in motif corresponded entirely to the trends in art in the last quarter of the 5th century BC. These are heads of Athena , which were created under the artistic influence of Athena Parthenos of Phidias . Two reverse stamps with this motif can be distinguished, both of which had the high relief of the stamp damaged quickly through use. Nevertheless, the stamps were still used. This was due to the fact that the back stamps, which were guided from above during the embossing, wore out faster than the front stamps embedded in the anvil because of the greater forces acting on them. The Syracusan goddess Arethusa was shown up to Eukleidas' stamp on the reverse . The change in motif is probably due to political developments: After the Syracusans made the Athenian attempt to invade in 413 BC. They took over the goddess of the vanquished as a motive for thanks and probably also for the political demonstration. Eukleidas probably also created the coin dies of smaller values with the athena head in three-quarter view, but these were not signed. These coins had a great motivic influence even in mints in Asia Minor . Eukleidas' later works include mint dies called scapillata with the heads of Arethusa, whose hair fluttered in the wind. Such a signed reverse stamp was also combined with a front stamp created by Euainetos of a tetradrachm depicting a quadriga . Eukleidas' signature can be found on helmet flaps, diptychs and dolphin bellies.

literature

Herbert A. Cahn : Eukleidas. In: Rainer Vollkommer (editor): Künstlerlexikon der Antike . Over 3800 artists from three millennia. Nikol, Hamburg 2007, ISBN 978-3-937872-53-7 , pp. 224-225.

Web links

Commons : Eukleidas - collection of images, videos and audio files

personal data
SURNAME	Eukleidas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Εὑκλείδας
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Greek coin die cutter
DATE OF BIRTH	5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	4th century BC Chr.