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Dekadrachm - Hieron II
| Issuer | Syracuse |
|---|---|
| Year | 220 BC - 217 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Decadrachm (50) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Veiled and wreathed head of Persephone (or Kore) facing left, her elaborately styled hair adorned with a wreath incorporating grain ears and a floral ornament, with flowing tresses falling behind the neck. The facial features are rendered in a refined Hellenistic style, with softly modeled cheeks and a delicate profile. The surrounding field is plain, with a finely beaded border visible along the upper edge of the irregular flan. The portrait is executed with exceptional artistry characteristic of the finest Syracusan coinage of the late Hieronian period. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse lettering | ΙΕΡΩΝΟΣ |
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| Additional information |
Hieron II ruled Syracuse for over half a century under a careful balancing act — first allied with Carthage, then pivoting to Rome after the First Punic War, securing a treaty in 263 BC that preserved Syracusan autonomy for decades. These gold issues belong to the final years of his reign, struck as the Second Punic War erupted around him. Within months of his death in 215 BC, Syracuse made the catastrophic decision to align with Carthage, ending in the city's brutal sack by Marcellus in 212 BC.