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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;John Anthony, post: 4145637, member: 42773&quot;]This Sicilian trionkion (coming up for sale in my next auction) has a wonderful jade-like patina...</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1071500[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>SICILY, Gela. Circa 420-405 BC.</p><p>Æ Tetras or Trionkion, 20mm, 3.7g, 10h.</p><p>Obv.: Head of young river god right.</p><p>Rev.: Bull standing left, head lowered; ••• (mark of value) in exergue.</p><p>Reference: HGC 2, 379 (p. 106).</p><p><br /></p><p>Gela, on the Southern shore of Sicily, was founded in the late 7th century by Dorian Greeks. Little is known of its early history, but in the fifth century, the city was one of the first to send military assistance to Syracuse in opposition to the Sicilian Expedition of the Athenians. “Realizing that Gela would be the next major target of Cathaginian attack, the Geloians immediately sought assistance from Syracuse and its new tyrant, Dionysos I…Despite the arrival of Dionysios I with a relieving force, the Carthaginians captured and destroyed Gela.” (Hoover, HGC 2, p. 95-6) The city was eventually rebuilt over the next few centuries, but declined to a place of little consequence by the first century AD. These small bronzes with head of Gelas and bull were struck immediately prior to the Carthaginian destruction of the town in 405 BC.</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1071503[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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