Question for anyone who knows: According to what I have found in numista.com about ancient Greek coin denominations the Sicilian standard is based on the silver Litra, which weighed 0.86 grams and is equal to the obol of the Attic standard. Sicilian denominations were one of the first to be substituted from silver to bronze issues. Denomination Weight (gr) Ratio 10 Litrai 8.66 10 5 Litrai 4.33 5 Trilitron 2.58 3 Dilitron 1.72 2 Litra 0.86 1 Hemilitron 0.43 1/2 Pentonkion 0.36 5/12 Trias 0.29 1/3 Tetras 0.22 1/4 Hexas 0.14 1/6 Onkia 0.07 1/12 Given this standard why have some Sicilian coins posted in several threads as one of these denominations a very different weight? e.g. posted by RaceBannon on October 14, 2014 in the thread Ancient: Greek Syracuse, Hieron II Syracuse, Hieron II (274-216 BC) AE Hemilitron, 27mm 14.9g OBV: Diademed head of Hieron II facing left. REV: IERWNOS in exergue; horseman prancing right, holding couched lance. (Calciati II pg. 380, 383) The weight of 14.9 g doesn't match the weight for a hemilitron. What am I missing? There are several examples in different threads and in general on the web where this happens. I also asked a question regarding the Sicilian standard in the thread Agathokles AE Litra but got no answer :-( Can anyone please clarify ? Chris
When I look through my coins and website I find small errors everywhere. Some of them are nomenclature such as this. I think the answer to your question is probably human errors, perpetuated by the ease of copying and pasting.
I believe @Ed Snible would be MUCH more of an expert to help: http://snible.org/coins/hn/sicily.html Here is one of my Sicily Litra (one of the bad guys fighting the Greeks, then the Romans) AR Litra Carthage - Sicily AR Litra 4th C BCE 9.5mm 0.65g Palm Tree Horse Head SNG Cop 74 EE Clain-Safanelli RARE AE Litra Syracuse Sicily Pyrrhus Epirus 278-276 BCE AE Litra 11.4g 23.3mm Herakles Nemaean Lion scalp - Athena Promachos thunderbolt shield SNG Cop 813, SNG ANS 852
Thank you so very much Alegandron for your input and my apologies for asking so many questions and taking your time. Will read the link you sent, thanks!! This is one of my few "Litra", well, allegedly a Litra, but right now I am not sure anymore Hope to improve my scarce knowledge soon because numismatics is really confusing. Sicily, Syracuse, 278 - 276 BC, Time of Pyrrhos. 21 mm, 9.24 g; SNG Copenhagen 813; Calciati II pg. 321, 176; Obverse: Head of Herakles left, wearing lion skin Reverse: ΣΥΡΑ-ΚΟ[Σ]ΙΩΝ. Pallas Promachos (Athena) wearing long chiton with diploidion, and chlamys over shoulders, advancing right; she holds spear in raised r., and shield on outstretched l. arm
