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Ancient Coinage from Syracuse Sicily

Without much doubt, most numismatists believe that Syracuse on the island of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea produced some of the loveliest coins in the Ancient World. The civilisation that developed on the island was one of the most advanced in the ancient world, in terms of development of science, and the arts. Notably the remarkable Archimedes, a great mathematician, and inventor was born in Syracuse. Some of his more notable inventions were "Greek Fire" a liquid fueled flamethrowing device for burning enemy ships, the Archimedes Screw, a continuous screw which allowed for perpetual motion of mechanical devices. Whilst producting great science, and a great culture, they also reflected this in their incredible coinage.

This coin is a hemi litron from ca. 405-395 BCE. Curiously this is a cast piece, and the casting spur was never removed from the coin, making for a very dramatically formed coin which probably did not circulate for long, but may have been saved as a curiousity or perhaps never circulated at all. This piece has a portrait of Arethusa on the obverse and a dolphin and clam shell on the reverse.

Circa 410 BC. Hemilitron (3.21 gm; 18 mm x 14 mm). Head of Arethusa left, hair in ampyx and sphendone, in field right, laurel twig; whole in linear circle / ΣΥΡΑ Dolphin right, below, pecten. Calciati II, 55, 24. SNG ANS 418. This piece, though unsigned, may have been created by one of the greats of Syracuse minting, as it displays superior skills in artistic approach and engraving.

This hemi-litron was issued during the reign of Agathokles from ca. 317-289 BC and portrays an image of Artemis or Diana, the Goddess of War -notice her quiver of arrows behind her neck. The legend Soteira translates as "saviour" The winged thunderbolt on the reverse with the monarchs' Agathokles name and title is a famous design.

Hemilitron (AE 17mm) 344-317 bc. ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ head of Persephone l., wearing triple-pendant earring and necklace, hair tied with fillet. Rv. Forepart of Pegasos left; below Σ. 4,83gr. Head of Persephone. SNG ANS 530; SNG Cop.734; Laffaille 224; Virzi 1493; Calciati II 184,79An unusual depiction of Pegasos on a bronze from Syracuse, this coin is roughly from the time of Timoleon or the Third Democracy.

SICILY, Syracuse. Agathokles. 317-289 BC. AE 23 (10,39 gm; 23 mm) ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ wreathed head of Persephone left / Nike in biga to right; star above. SNG ANS 768. Calciati II, 259, 123. This piece is fascinating, it is a very unique design and unlike the more common contemporaneously issued bronzes with Artemis and the Thunderbolt. This piece features the Goddess, Persephone, and the reverse of Nike in Biga on the reverse. In essence this piece is a design more typically found in silver pieces, such as Tetradrachms.

SICILY, Syracuse. Reign of Agathokles, c. 317-289 BC. AR 8-Litrai (6.85g). Head of Athena wearing Corinthian helmet left / Pegasus flying left, triskeles below. SNG ANS 684. A fascinating aspect of this coin is it's remarkable similarity to the well known Corinthian Staters from the same era. Like their modern descendants, ancient minters knew a good thing when they saw on it, and if they could improve upon the design all the better. What distinguishes this piece from the Corinth issues is the presence of the Sicilian "Triskeles" on the reverse of the piece under Pegasus. This "Triskeles" is symbolic of the island of Sicily.