It's been a few years since we've had a Syracuse thread and folks probably have some new ones to show off. I don't collect a lot of Greek (I prefer Roman imperial), but I have to admit coins from Syracuse are some of the prettiest out there. I'll get the thread going. This one is denarius-sized but heavier: Philistis, wife of Hieron II Syracuse, Sicily, 270-230 B.C.E AR 5 Litrae 4.46 gm 18.1 mm Obv: Diademed and veiled head, l., palm branch behind. Rev: ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ, Nike driving biga to left, E (=5) in l. field. SNG ANS-893; SNG III (Lockett)-1017; Forrer 196; Burnett pl. 4, 50.
Does this count? This is a Roman coin but it was struck in Sicily, likely in the Roman military camps outside Syracuse and related to Marcellus' siege of the city circa 214-212 B.C. This one appears in-hand to be an overstrike and many of these with identifiable undertypes are overstruck on Hieron II bronzes but I haven't fully identified the undertype yet. Roman Republic Æ Uncia(21.0 mm, 6.43 g, 11 h). Anonymous, first grain-ear/corn-ear series. 214-212 B.C. Sicilian mint. Helmeted head of Mars right; pellet behind / ROMA, Prow of galley right; ROMA and grain ear above, pellet below. Crawford 42/4; Sydenham -; Russo RBW 144.
It has been a couple weeks since we had these https://www.cointalk.com/threads/newp-syracuse-tetradrachm-second-democracy.281335/ but there is always room for more. HIKETAS II 287-278 BC AE23 HEMILITRON ZEUS HELIANIOS HD LEFT EAGLE LEFT 7.58 9H FAVORITO 50F O/S ON ARTEMIS/ T-BOLT LITRA compare: https://www.cngcoins.com/Coin.aspx?CoinID=171597 Below is a coin similar to the undertype on the one above (not exact - the above was not labeled Agathokles but had the name of the city) AGATHOKLES 317-289 BC AE 22 ARTEMIS HD. RT. WINGED T/BOLT SOTEIRA (GREEK) AGATH(OKLEOS)BASILEOS (GREEK) 7.6 12H HIERON II 275-215 B.C. AE27 L.HD.LEFT HORSEMAN RT. 16.5 6H FAVORITO 62 SYRACUSE 214-212 B.C. AE20 ATHENA HEAD RT. NIKE KILLS BULL SYRAKOSION (GREEK) 7.5 6H
VERY nice @Roman Collector ! I do not have Hieron II's wife... cool coin! Here are my Syracuses. My Bulls from Syracuse are in another Thread... Sicily Syracuse 275-215 BC AE 19 Hieron II Poseidon-Trident Sicily Syracuse AE 18 357-344 BC Female Hd Dolphin Scallop Sicily Syracuse ca 410 BC AE 19 Athena Snake Hippocamp Sicily Syracuse Hieron II 275-215 bust Hieron Horseman Lance Sicily Syracuse Timoleon Third Deocracy 344-317 BCE AE Hemidrachm Zeus Thundrbolt Syracuse Hieron II 275-215 BCE AE20 Poseidon Trident Dolphin
How did I miss that thread? I must have been away for a while. Thanks for posting the link--lots of cool stuff there!
Here's a coin that holds a place of esteem in my collection because it's awesome and when I look at it I'm reminded that there's someone out there keeping my collection in mind and helping me get some awesome coins. Hiero II, 270-215 BC Æ27, 18.4g, 6h; Sicily, Syracuse, circa 230-218/5 BC. Obv.: Diademed head of Hiero left, beardless. Rev.: Horseman prancing right, holding couched spear, Σ // ΙΕΡΩΝΟΣ My other Syracuse coin...well I'm not proud of its picture and I have a better one on my computer but this will have to work for now.
I posted my two Syracuse tetradrachms recently in the thread for Second Democracy issues. I have one other Syracuse, which was struck by Dionysios I: Syracuse, Sicily, AV 50 Litrai / Dekadrachm, Dionysios I, 405-367 BC, struck c 400-370 BC, 2.88 g, 12.5mm, 10h. OBV: Head of young male (Anapos?) left; ΣYPAKO-ΣIΩN around / Horse prancing right on exergue line inscribed [ΣY]PAKOΣIΩ[N]; all within shallow incuse square. Bérend 1.11 (D1/R1) = Hunt IV 118 (this coin); HGC 2, 1281 (R2); SNG ANS 340; SNG Fitzwilliam 1268; Hirsch 590; de Luynes 1240; McClean 2731; Morgan 13; Rizzo pl. L, 13 = Hunt II 274 (all from the same dies). Purchased January 6, 2016, Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Triton XIX, Lot 2019. From the collection of Dr. Lawrence A. Adams. Ex: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Auction 38, June 6, 1996, lot 137. Ex: Sternberg XXV, November 25, 1991, lot 71. Ex: Nelson Bunker Hunt Collection, Part IV, Sotheby’s, June 19, 1991, lot 118. Ex: Hess-Leu 49, April 27, 1971, lot 68.
Steve you a right about dolphin fricken city, dolphins seem to be on half Syracuse coinage, I only have two, one was posted on your Bull thread and the other one is like your Athena-Hippocamp but has dolphins around Athena portrait.
Nice OP coin and others in the thread so far. I've relatively few Syracusans, but look forward to picking up more in the years to come. There are just so many wonderful coins from this city to collect. SICILY, Syracuse Timoleon and the Third Democracy (336 - 317 BC) AE Dilitron. 21.31g, 27mm. SICILY, Syracuse, Timoleon and the Third Democracy, circa 336 - 317 BC. Calciati 80; SNG Cop 725. O: [ΖΕΥΣ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΟΣ], laureate head of Zeus Eleutherios left. R: [ΣYPAKOΣIΩN], horse prancing left. SICILY, Syracuse Agathokles (317-289 BC) Rare. AR Stater. 8.25g, 21.4mm. SICILY, Syracuse. Time of Agathokles, circa 304-289 BC. Pegasi 14; SNG ANS 560. O: Helmeted head of Athena right, helmet decorated with griffin, palladium behind. R: [ΣYPAKOΣIΩN], pegasos flying left, triskeles above, corn ear below. SICILY, Syracuse Dionysios I (406-367 BC) AE Litra. 7.16g, 19.7mm. SICILY, Syracuse, Dionysios I, circa 400-390 BC. CNS 41; SNG ANS 434-446. O: ΣVPA, Head of Athena left, wearing Corinthian helmet decorated with wreath; pellet behind. R: Bridled hippocamp left. SICILY, Syracuse Hieron II (270-215 BC) AE18. 4.08g, 17.9mm. SICILY, Syracuse, Hieron II, circa 275-269 BC. CNS 192; HGC 2, 1497; Virzi 1924 (this coin). O: Wreathed head of Kore-Persephone left. R: Bull butting left; club and AP monogram above, IE in exergue. Ex Thomas Virzi Collection, no. 1924 Ah, heck, let me just show off the latest one again . SICILY, Syracuse Second Democracy (466-405 BC) AR Tetradrachm. 17.24g, 28.7mm. Struck circa 430 BC. Boehringer Series XX, 644 (V327/R443); HGC 2, 1319; SNG ANS 209. O: Charioteer driving slow quadriga right; above, Nike flying right, crowning horses. R: ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΟΝ, Head of Arethusa right, wearing hooked-shaped earring and necklace, hair bound in sakkos ornamented with a meander pattern; four dolphins around. Ex Colin E. Pitchfork Collection
I agree. If I had to restrict my Greeks to just one area, it would probably be Syracuse. The Syracuse coins currently in my collection: Sicily, Syracuse. Second Democracy c. 425 BCE Æ tetras, 13 mm, 1.9 gm Obv: Female head right; XXX before Rev: Hippocamp right, octopus below Ref: CNS 30; SNG ANS 1382 SICILY, Syracuse. Dionysios I Æ 20 mm, 8.23 gm Struck c. 390 BCE Obv: head of Athena left, wearing wreathed Corinthian helmet pushed back on head Rev: hippocamp left Ref: Calciati 35. SNG ANS 426 formerly in an NGC slab Sicily, Syracuse. Dionysios I 390 BCE Æ tetras, 14 mm, 1.8 gm Obv: head of nymph facing slightly left, wearing necklace Rev: octopus Ref: CNS 29; SNG ANS 385 SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles (317-289 BCE) struck 310-305 BCE AR tetradrachm, 17.40 g, 24 mm Obv: head of the nymph Arethusa left, wearing grain wreath, earring and necklace; around, three dolphins; under, monogram (NK?) Rev: ΣYPAKOΣIΩN, fast chariot charioteer leads to left, holding reins and kentron; above, triskeles; in exergue, monogram Ref: Ierardi 12 (O2-R8); SNG Copenhagen 573 var., SNG ANS 637 Sicily, Syracuse. Hieron II 275-216 BCE Æ 23, 7.4 gm Obv: diademed head of Poseidon left Rev: IEP-ΩNOΣ Trident upright; on either side, dolphin Ref: Calciati 194 I have at least one bronze of Hiketas II as well but don't have images handy.
Are you sure you want to see Syracuse coins....again ? Posting after @TIF is quite challenging though !!! Q