Historical Background
Kroton (aka Croton, which today is modern Crotone in Calabria, Italy) was founded around 710 BC by Achaean Greek settlers, according to legend under the guidance of Apollo’s oracle at Delphi. This coastal colony in Magna Graecia (as the Greeks called their Italian colonies) grew into a prosperous city known for its health, wealth, and wisdom.
Herodotus notes that by the late 6th century BC “the best physicians in the Greek countries were those of Kroton”
"Now this is how Democedes had come from Kroton to live with Polycrates: he was troubled with a harsh-tempered father at Kroton, whom being unable to bear, he left him and went to Aegina. Settled there, before a year was out, he excelled all other physicians, although he had no equipment nor any of the implements of his calling. In his second year the Aeginetans paid him a talent to be their public physician; in the next the Athenians hired him for an hundred minae, and Polycrates in the next again for two talents. Thus he came to Samos; and the fame of the Krotoniat physicians was chiefly owing to him; for at that time the best physicians in Greek countries were those of Kroton, and next to them those of Cyrene."
-Herodotus, 3.130Kroton’s athletes were equally celebrated.
"The Iapyges used to live at Kroton in earlier times, as Ephorus says. And the city is reputed to have cultivated warfare and athletics; at any rate, in one Olympian festival the seven men who took the lead over all others in the stadium-race were all Krotoniates, and therefore the saying "The last of the Krotoniates was the first among all other Greeks" seems reasonable. And this, it is said, is what gave rise to the other proverb, "more healthful than Kroton," the belief being that the place contains something that tends to health and bodily vigor, to judge by the multitude of its athletes. Accordingly, it had a very large number of Olympic victors, although it did not remain inhabited a long time, on account of the ruinous loss of its citizens who fell in such great numbers at the River Sagra. And its fame was increased by the large number of its Pythagorean philosophers, and by Milo, who was the most illustrious of athletes, and also a companion of Pythagoras, who spent a long time in the city."
-Strabo's Geography, VI. 1.12 
The Destruction of Sybaris
The peculiar incuse style of today's stater was probably initiated by Sybaris or Metapontion and imitated by others in the region. By 510 BC, Kroton’s rising power was demonstrated in war. Under the leadership of Milo and others, the Krotoniates defeated their opulent neighbor Sybaris in a decisive conflict. Sybaris, once so wealthy that it ruled 25 cities, was utterly destroyed in just 70 days – the Krotoniates famously diverted the River Crati river to drown Sybaris and erase it from the map.
"So great was the prosperity enjoyed by this city [Sybaris] anciently, that it held dominion over four neighbouring people and twenty-five towns; in the war with the Crotoniatæ it brought into the field 300,000 men, and occupied a circuit of 50 stadia on the Crati. But on account of the arrogance and turbulence of its citizens, it was deprived of all its prosperity by the Crotoniatæ in 706 days, who took the city, and turning the waters of the river [Crati], overwhelmed it with an inundation.7 Some time after, a few who had escaped came together and inhabited the site of their former city, but in time they were dispossessed by the Athenians8 and other Greeks, who came and settled amongst them, but they despised and subjugated them, and removed the city to a neighbouring place, calling its name Thurii, from a fountain of that name."
-Strabo, Geography, VI.1.13In the aftermath, Kroton entered a long era of power and prosperity, expanding its territory and influence. The early 5th century B.C. saw Kroton at its apogee, not only militarily and economically but also intellectually.
For an explanation of how this theorem became associated with Pythagoras (a story of mis-attribution) see Mark Ronan's essay here: https://engelsbergideas.com/notebook/the-pythagoras-myth.
The Age of Pythagoras
Around 530 BC, the philosopher, mathematician Pythagoras of Samos (570-495 BC) had settled in Kroton and established a school that became politically influential. The Pythagorean brotherhood, with its strict ethical code and mystical philosophy, attracted many of the city’s elite. For a time, these philosopher-initiates helped govern Kroton, preaching moderation and piety; the city council even appointed Pythagoras to important civic positions. This “Golden Age” of Kroton – roughly the period in which our silver stater was minted (ca. 480–430 B.C.) – was marked by cultural flourishing and strong civic pride. It was, however, also a time of turbulence as traditional aristocrats, visionary philosophers, and popular forces vied for power in the city.
The date of Pythagoras' death is debated with many citing Iamblichus and assigning a date of 508 BC when he was expelled by a democratic revolt and moved to Metapontion, but this conflicts with accounts that he lived to an old age and the continued influence of Pythagorean movement in Kroton after this time (until c. 450 BC).
"Cylon the Crotonian held the first place among the citizens for birth, renown, and wealth ; but otherwise, he was a severe, violent, and turbulent man, and of tyrannical manners. He had, however, the greatest desire of being made a partaker of the Pythagoric life, and having applied himself to Pythagoras, who was now an elderly man, for this purpose, was rejected by him on account of the above-mentioned causes. In consequence of this, therefore, he and his friends exercised violent hostilities against Pythagoras and his disciples. So vehement likewise and immoderate1 was the ambition of Cylon, and of those who arranged themselves on his side, that it extended itself to the very last of the Pythagoreans. Pythagoras, therefore, for this cause went to Metapontum, and there is said to have terminated his life."
-Iamblichus, Taylor 1818 translation, Life of Pythagoras, p. 177 (the original Greek text on p.133 of this 1975 publication)The Death of Milo
"The story has it that he (Milo) came across in the land of Crotona a tree-trunk that was drying up; wedges were inserted to keep the trunk apart. Milo in his pride thrust his hands into the trunk, the wedges slipped, and Milo was held fast by the trunk until the wolves—a beast that roves in vast packs in the land of Crotona—made him their prey."
-Pausanias, Description of Greece, 6.14.8Political Structures
As a Greek city-state (polis) in Italy, Kroton had a governance system and regional role that reflected the broader dynamics of the Greek world. Politically, Kroton was a republic dominated by a noble oligarchy – it was an oligarchy before Pythagoras arrived ruled by a few wealthy and influential families. The Pythagoreans generally aligned with this aristocratic faction, ruling as a kind of enlightened elite. They favored traditional governance by the few, and their intellectual circle reinforced Kroton’s oligarchic rule (even as democratic ideas began spreading elsewhere in Greece).
Under this system, a council of 1,000 citizens (according to some accounts) and a set of magistrates administered the city, and Pythagoras himself was put in charge of education to instill moral discipline. Tensions simmered between the Pythagorean aristocrats and proponents of broader popular participation and in 508 BC, an uprising led by a democrat named Cylon resulted in an arson attack on the Pythagoreans’ meeting house. This forced Pythagoras to flee and briefly weakened his followers’ grip. The Pythagorean network regrouped and continued to influence Kroton and neighboring cities for decades, a second wave of violent revolts around 450 BC saw anti-Pythagorean forces burn down their gathering places and kill many adherents.
This power struggle indicates that Kroton’s political life was far from static – it evolved from strict oligarchy toward a more tumultuous mix of oligarchic and democratic elements as the 5th century progressed. Regionally, Kroton’s political significance was felt throughout Magna Graecia. After the fall of Sybaris, Kroton became the leading city of the Achaean Greek colonies in southern Italy. It formed alliances and exerted hegemony over some weaker neighbors.
Rhegion (Reggio Calabria) was also influenced by the Pythagorean movement. There is a Pythagoras of Rhegion who is considered to be the same person by modern scholars. Pliny (xxxiv. 60 at Loeb; see at also Perseus) is the only one who makes two persons of the Samian and Rhegian. Pythagoras was a Samian, emigrants who
were induced by the Tyrant of Rhegion, Anaxilas (494–476 BCE), to settle in Zankle (later renamed Messana). Pythagoras could have called himself a Samian or a Rhegian. (see: Waldstein)
Greek, Bruttium, Rhegion, c. 450-425 BC. Æ Onkia (13mm, 1.5g)
Obv: Lion mask facing.
Rev: R E; sprig of olive leaves between
Ref: HN Italy 2517; SNG ANS 679
Notably, the Pythagorean leadership in Kroton helped forge a sort of league of like-minded cities. A federation of cities with common policies and a common currency formed around Kroton. Pythagorean-influenced cities including Metapontion, Caulonia, and Poseidonia coordinated their political and economic strategies – even striking similar coinage – to solidify their unity.
“It’s as true as the result at Sagra.”
Kroton's might was not unchallenged, and an example is the Battle of the Sagra (c. 550 BC) in which a much smaller force from Locri Epizephyrii astonishingly defeated the Krotoniate army. The shock of this defeat was so great that it became proverbial – news of the victory was said to have reached Olympia in a single day, and ever after, when someone doubted a surprising truth, people would retort, “It’s as true as the result at Sagra.”
Kroton’s loss at Sagra dealt a blow to its manpower and prestige, illustrating the constant jockeying for power among the Italic Greek cities. By the mid-5th century, new forces like the pan-Hellenic colony of Thurii (founded 444 B.C. near the ruins of Sybaris) and the rising Spartan-backed Taras (Tarentum) also began to encroach on Kroton’s influence. Thus, the period 480–430 B.C. was one of both high stature and mounting challenges for Kroton: internally, its oligarchic government was under pressure from popular forces, and externally, its leadership in Magna Graecia was contested by rival Greek cities.
Magna Grecia (Italy), Bruttium, Kroton, AR Stater (Nomos) (7.97 gms), ca. 480–430 BC, NGC Ch EF, Strike: 4/5 Surface: 3/5. HGC-1, 1449; HN Italy-2102.
Obv: Tripod, with legs terminating in lion's feet; to left, heron standing right
Rev: Incuse tripod as obverse, but with no other elements.
Provenance: From the S.P. Rutherford Collection. https://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/6708985-007/NGCAncients/
Symbolism on this Coin
The silver stater (also called a nomos) of Kroton from 480–430 B.C. is not only a piece of currency but a canvas of cultural symbols. Its obverse design features a splendid tripod – a three-legged cauldron stand – with legs that terminate in lion’s paws. In the field beside the tripod stands a long-necked water bird, identified as a heron, with outstretched legs and poised stance.
The city’s name is inscribed in archaic letters (ϘΡΟ, retrograde, using the old letter koppa Ϙ for “Kro-”), declaring the coin’s origin. On the reverse, one finds a striking incuse design: the tripod is repeated in intaglio, sunk into the silver blank as a mirror image of the obverse. This incuse reverse, bordered by a pattern of radiating lines, exactly mirrors the obverse motif, creating a bold visual effect unique to the coinage of Kroton and its neighbors.
Every element on this coin carried meaning for the people who used it.
The tripod was a powerful emblem in Greek culture. It had a dual significance particularly appropriate for Kroton’s identity. Tripods were prestigious awards in athletic games – large bronze tripod cauldrons were given as trophies to victors in competitions such as the Olympics . The tripod celebrates Kroton's athletic glory and the victories of its champions like Milo. The tripod also evokes the sacred Delphic Oracle of Apollo. In Greek myth, the priestess at Delphi sat on a tripod to deliver Apollo’s prophecies. Kroton’s very founding story is intertwined with Delphi – the colonists were said to have been sent out by Apollo’s oracle. The tripod on the coin also alludes to Apollo’s guidance and the city’s piety. It symbolizes divine sanction and wisdom, reminding citizens of the oracle that led their ancestors and perhaps also nodding to the Pythagoreans’ Apollonian leanings.
The decorative lion’s feet on the tripod legs add an aura of strength and nobility to the symbol – lions being associated with power.
The heron depicted beside the tripod is another intriguing symbol. This bird is a denizen of marshes and shorelines, so its presence alludes to the coastal environment of Kroton and is a creature of good fortune. For an ancient viewer, the heron would immediately associate the coin with water and harbors, appropriate for a city with an important port on the Ionian Sea.
The incuse reverse design. Unlike typical Greek coins which had a obverse and reverse in high relief, the incuse coinage of Kroton and neighboring cities featured one side design intaglio (sunken into the coin) that exactly fit into the relief of the other side. When you flip the Kroton stater, the tripod appears in negative relief on the back, as if pressed into clay. This technique was a hallmark of early Magna Graecia mints in the late 6th and early 5th centuries BC. It required great skill in engraving and striking: the flan (blank) had to be very precisely made so that the obverse and reverse dies would align perfectly, and the metal would fill the design without cracking.
The purpose of incuse coinage is debated by scholars. Some suggest it aided in stacking coins neatly or prevented clipping of metal – since any filing of one side would distort the design on the other. Others see a stylistic or symbolic intent: the symmetry of obverse and reverse might have appealed to the Pythagoreans’ sense of harmony and geometry.
Kroton was part of a semi-formal Italic Greek koinon (league) during the Pythagorean era. The coinage of this region, with close economic ties, moved in tandem.
"The incuse fabric was peculiar to Sybaris, Metapontum, Kroton, Caulonia and a group of neighbouring mints mainly in southern Lucania, and to Posidonia in northern Lucania. The flans evolved from broad and thin to dumpy and thick. In all, the technique lasted for about a century, before all mints adopted the double relief fabric, with a design in relief on both faces. It seems reasonable to suppose that in the first instance one city (Sybaris or Metapontum?) adopted the incuse technique for its newly instituted coinage, and that its neighbours, who shared close economic ties, followed the same pattern when they in turn started to issue coins soon after."
-Historia Numerorum: Italy 2001 p.3 Dating & Overstrikes
In his 1987 article, Gorini discusses the over-striking of coinage by Kroton, particularly between 470 and 460 BC. These over-strikes involve foreign coinage, especially from Sicily, highlighting Kroton's role in absorbing and reusing external currency—a practice that distinguishes it from other Magna Graecian mints of the time. This monetary adaptation and repurposing suggest that Kroton was not only a major minting center but also an active participant in regional trade and economic integration. His examples of Krotonian staters over-struck on didrachms of Acragas (Agrigentum) from Period III serve as key evidence in the dating of these coins.
Bruttium, Kroton, Nomos, circa 480-430 BC, AR 20mm., 7.65g.
Obv: Tripod with legs ending in lion's paws; in right field, heron standing left.
Rev. Tripod incuse.
Ref: SNG ANS 273. Historia Numorum Italy 2102.
Governance
For Kroton, a free Greek city, produced its own silver staters demonstrating self-governance and economic stability. The choice of iconography – the tripod and the legend KROTON – was likely decided by the city’s ruling council. It expressed the identity and legitimacy of Kroton’s government in multiple ways. First, the prominence of religious and athletic symbols (Apollo’s tripod, an omen-bearing heron) on the coinage suggests that the rulers sought to emphasize traditional values and divine favor. The oligarchs of Kroton aligned themselves with Apollo’s oracle. According to myth, the Oracle sanctioned their city’s founding and with the Olympic victories of their aristocratic athletes.
It is said that Archias went to Delphi at the same time as Myscellus, and when they were consulting the oracle, the god asked them whether they chose wealth or health; now Archias chose wealth, and Myscellus 1 health; accordingly, the god granted to the former to found Syracuse, and to the latter Croton. And it actually came to pass that the Crotoniates took up their abode in a city that was exceedingly healthful, as I have related, and that Syracuse fell into such exceptional wealth that the name of the Syracusans was spread abroad in a proverb applied to the excessively extravagant —“the tithe of the Syracusans would not be sufficient for them.”
-Strabo, Geography, VI.2.4Kroton maintained confidence in its currency. There is no sign of debasement or chaos in the coinage – the weight (about 7.8 grams of fine silver) remained consistent, adhering to the “Achaean” standard used by the Italian Greeks. This consistency implies that despite revolutions and battles, a recognized authority in Kroton ensured the stability of the currency.
The End of the Greek Era
In the 4th Century BC, and indigenous Italic tribe known as the Bruttians took control of Kroton. During the 3rd Century: during the Second Punic War (218–201 B.C.), Kroton became a battleground between Rome and Carthage. Hannibal used Kroton as his winter headquarters from 215 to 204 B.C., turning the city into a strategic base but further destabilizing it. After Hannibal’s withdrawal, the Romans took control, but the city was left in ruins.
Bruttium, The Brettii, circa 211-208 BC, Æ Half – Triobol, Second Punic War issue. Obv: Winged and diademed bust of Nike left; [thunderbolt below]
Rev: Zeus, holding thunderbolt and scepter, driving biga left; no control mark below; ΒΡΕΤΤΙΩΝ in exergue.
Ref: Scheu, Bronze 49; HN Italy 1989
Greek Italy. Bruttium, Brettii. AE Double (Didrachm). Final issue, 208-203 BC.
AE-25 mm. 2. Hälfte 3. Jh. v. Chr.
Obv: The war god Ares on the obverse, depicted with a helmet and facing left Rev: The Roman goddess of war, Bellona, or Brettia (possibly referring to a personification of the Bruttii people), holding a shield and spear
Ref: BMC 51. ss, Ex Hirsch 125, 1981, Los Nr. 3043.
References
Rutter, N. K., and Andrew Burnett, eds. Historia Numorum: Italy. London: British Museum Press, 2001.
G. Gorini, 1987 – Riconiazioni di Crotone su didracme di Agrigento, in Studi per Laura Breglia, «Bollettino di Numismatica», suppl. IV/1, pp. 63-68.
Strabo, Geography VI.1.12: Describes the founding of Croton by Myscellus under Delphic guidance and notes Croton’s athletes and the proverb “last of the Crotoniates was first among Greeks,” as well as the destruction of Sybaris Strabo, Geography — VI.1
Gorman, Peter. Pythagoras: A Life. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1979. ISBN: 978-0710000064.
Noe, Sydney P. The Coinage of Metapontum: Parts 1 and 2. Revised edition with additions and corrections by Ann Johnston. New York: American Numismatic Society, 1984. (Numismatic Notes and Monographs, No. 32 and No. 47). ISBN: 0897222024.
Simoson, Andrew J. “Extrapolating Plimpton 322.” The College Mathematics Journal 50, no. 3 (2019): 210–20.
Herodotus, Histories III.131: Remarks on the superior physicians of Croton (with Croton’s doctors considered the best in Hellas, followed by Cyrene’s.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art – Croton, Bruttium, Silver Stater: Catalogue entry providing details of the coin’s design (tripod with lion’s feet, heron, incuse reverse) and interpretation of its symbolism.
Coinage of Magna Graecia: Rutter, N.K., Historia Numorum: Italy (London, 2001) – reference catalog HN Italy #2102 for the Kroton nomos ca. 480–430 B.C. Similar coins are listed in Sylloge Nummorum Graecorum (SNG ANS 261-264) and other numismatic collections.
University of Texas at Austin: Institute of Classical Archaeology; Project Croton: Overview of the Greek colonies in Italy, noting Croton’s prominence in medicine, athletics, and its decline after the 5th century
Getty Museum – Silver Stater of Croton: (Accession 85.NH.419) Description notes the heron as a water-bird symbolizing Kroton’s coastal environment and identifies the tripod as the Delphic tripod of Apollo.
Waldstein, Charles. “Pythagoras of Rhegion and the Early Athlete Statues.” The Journal of Hellenic Studies 1 (1880): 168–201.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston – Stater of Kroton: provides details on variant issues (earlier coins with crab and serpent motifs on the tripod).
Crab to Right http://collections.mfa.org/objects/983/stater-of-kroton-with-tripod (MFA : Acc# 04.390)
Crane to Left https://collections.mfa.org/objects/984/stater-of-kroton-with-tripod (MFA : Acc# 04.391)
Crane to Right https://collections.mfa.org/objects/2983/stater-of-kroton-with-tripod-and-crane (MFA : Acc# 1984.804)
Ancient Coins at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University
Grose, S. W. “Croton.” The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society 15 (1915): 179–91.
The Pythagorean Theorem: Math.USA.edu http://5010.mathed.usu.edu/Fall2021/BDzierzon/history.html
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