Featured My holiday souvenir from Erice

Just picked up this 4th century coin minted at one of my favorite places on my recent visit to South Italy.
Sicily, Eryx, c. 4th century BC. Æ (15mm, 4.86g, 9h). Female head r. R/ Horse stepping r. Horse standing r., with raised foreleg. Campana 49; CNS I, 18; SNG ANS -; HGC 2, 326. Brown patina, VF - Good VF


Eryx, (Erice) Sicily high on a mountain top reached by cable car, would take 45 min compared to 10 via cable car, but even when you reach the old city their was still an up hill walk through this ancient arch.

Well worth the walk to the top first impression of the 11th century Norman castle was awe inspiring with great views of the landscape below.

After entry (pic below) I walked out into the uppermost courtyard, mainly ruins with not much evidence of the Roman temple that once stood in the area, except for an area where diggings have uncovered a Roman thermal bath.



Also of interest was the Ritual baths of Venus, which could date back to Early Roman times.
(below)



High on my want list is this Roman Republican, depicting the Roman temple that I was presumably walking all over on my holiday.

Unfortunately not my coin CNG archives.

WOULD LOVE TO SEE EVERYONE'S SICILY COINS, OR ANYTHING YOU THINK IS RELEVANT.

 

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Fantastic new coin and even cooler photos from your recent trip @Ancient Aussie . That’s a nice portrait!

I’ve never been to Sicily but hope to visit at some point. It doesn’t look too crowded in your photos which is alway a plus for leisurely enjoying the ancient sites.

I like how you made it a point to pick up a coin from a place you’ve visited. I like to do that too and always enjoy these kinds of posts. Since I don’t have an example from Eryx I hope you will be okay with me piling on with a coin I bought partly because of a trip to the mint city: Jerusalem.

The First Jewish Coin and its Modern Descendent

Hasmonean Dynasty of Judea
John Hyrcanus I (134-104 BC)
AE Prutah, Jerusalem mint, struck ca. 129-122 BC
Wt.: 1.82 g
Dia.: 15 mm
Obv.: Paleo-Hebrew inscription in wreath; Greek letter alpha above
Rev.: Double cornucopia with a pomegranate between horns
Ref.: Hendin 1132
Ex red spork Collection

 

Nice, Middle east is on my to go to places as well....tons of ancient ruins to see.

 

Nice write-up, Ancient Aussie - nice coin too. The Sicilian Tourism Board should hire you as a photographer.

Since you've provided me with an excuse, I just so happened to recently get a coin from Sicily - it is in pitiful condition, but I am just crazy about the workmanship on that hippocamp on the reverse (what's left of it):



Syracuse Æ Litra
Dionysius I
(c. 400-390 B.C.)
Head of Athena left, wearing Corinthian helmet / Hippocamp left, unbridled.
CNS II, 34-45; SNG ANS 434-46; HGC 2, 1456.
(7.58 grams / 17 mm )

 

That's one of my favorite Sicily coins and a sure favorite from many ancient collectors, if your only going to have one from Sicily that's the one!!!

 

Thanks for the guide tour Aussie.

 

GELA, SICILY
AR Litra
OBV: Naked horseman galloping left holding spear & shield
REV: Forepart of man-headed bull right
Struck at Gela, Sicily, 425BC
0.36g; 13mm
SNG Cop 275, BMC 52, Jenkins 405; HGC 2 374


SICILY, KAMARINA
Æ Tetras
OBV: Helmeted head of Athena left
REV: KAMA, owl standing left, head facing, grasping lizard; three pellets in exergue
Struck at Kamarina, Sicily, 420-405 BC
2.9g; 15.2 mm
Calciati 33; BMC 40; SNG ANS 1229; SNG Cop 169

 

Don't have too many from Sicily but I'll try to post this one as often as I can before I'm told by CT membrs NOT TO

Ancient Sicily, Akragas c.413-406 B.C. AR Tetradrachm (16.98 gms)
NGC XF Strike 4/5 Surface 5/5 Fine Style.
SNG Lloyd-818; Kraay-Hirmer-178.

Obverse: Female charioteer driving fast quadriga right, her robes billowing behind her, Nike above flying left to crown driver, splayed crab in exergue
Reverse: Two eagles feeding on downed hare on rocks, one screeching with its head raised and one down.

 

But wait there's more to come in future episodes of CT!!!!
Seriously love that coin of yours, fantastic eye appeal.

 

Great coins Bing, I especially like the face on the Bull, and detail of the horseman.

 

I don't blame you with an absolutely beautiful best of type like yours I would be posting it weekly.

 

Neat coin and super pics, AA. You really do go to all the cool places. It would be a dream for me to travel through Greece and have a coin or two from each place visited. Maybe in 10-15 years when the kid is all/more grown up.

 

Cool vacation pics and and awesome new coin @Ancient Aussie ! That "female head" is sweet.


How about a Byzantine coin from Sicily?

 

Thanks zumbly, but what about if you have another kid.....sorry 30 years

 

Thanks, that's one of the nicer Byzantine that I have seen, especially great patina.

 

Lovely coin @Ancient Aussie ... and thank you for sharing the pictures!

 

Beautiful pictures, I especially like the view entering the city!
Here are my two favorite from Sicily:

 

Very nice - I drove around Sicily for a few days in 2015, to see where the nicest coins came from. I didn't get to Erice/Eryx, but I do have an example of the Republican denarius depicting the temple which is now presumably under the castle - Cr. 424/1 denarius, 3.92g, 19mm, 6h (my coin, but auction pic):



This is the large unfinished temple at Segesta, fairly nearby:


ATB,
Aidan.

 

Thanks, not far past that arch there are some great eateries that slow you down quite a bit .....those are two beautiful coins you have, I can see why they are your favorite both with great eye appeal.

 

Thanks, great pic and I'm drooling over that fantastic coin, so many places to see in Sicily, you need about a month to cover it all.