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11/2 Litrai - Hieron II
| Issuer | Syracuse |
|---|---|
| Year | 218 BC - 215 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 11/2 Litrai (3⁄2) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of Artemis facing right, her hair gathered into a bun at the nape of the neck. The goddess is adorned with a pendant earring and a pearl necklace, and her quiver is visible over her far shoulder, identifying her as the divine huntress. The portraiture is rendered in the refined Hellenistic style characteristic of the Syracusan mint under Hieron II, with careful attention to jewelry and drapery detail. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | An owl with closed wings stands in profile to the right, its head turned to face the viewer in the characteristic frontal pose associated with Athena's sacred bird. To the left of the owl in the field appears the letter Α, serving as a control mark or denominational indicator. The ethnic legend ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ appears in the field, asserting the civic identity of the issuing authority. The design is executed in a compact, well-centered style typical of the small silver fractional coinage of Hieron II's later reign. |
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| Additional information |
Hieron II ruled Syracuse for over half a century as a Roman ally, but these small silver fractions were struck in the final years of his reign, when he was already in his eighties. He died in 215 BC, and within months his grandson Hieronymus had flipped Syracuse's allegiance to Carthage — a catastrophic decision that brought Roman siege engines to the city walls and ended Syracusan independence for good.