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778
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ANCIENT GREECE - GREEK
See original version (French)
778
-
ANCIENT GREECE - GREEK
See original version (French)
Estimate €1,500
Voluntary lot
Description
ANCIENT GREECE - GREEK
Sicily, Syracuse, Hieronymus, tyrant (215–214 BC). 10 litrai in the name of the magistrate SO-ND (215–214 BC), Syracuse.
Obverse. Head of Hieronymus wearing a diadem, facing left.
Reverse. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΟΣ / IΕΡΩΝΥΜΟΥ. Winged thunderbolt; above, the diadem.
HGC 2, 1567 – SNG ANS 1027; Silver – 8.51 g – 21 mm – 8 h
NGC MS 5/5 4/5 (2113106-086).
With the magistrate’s name ΣΩ on the reverse. In its struck condition with minute marks and a delicate, barely golden patina. Almost proof.
Hieronymus ascended the throne of Syracuse at the age of 15, following the long reign of his grandfather, Hiero II, in the midst of the Second Punic War. Hiero had carefully maintained an alliance between Syracuse and Rome, but the Romans had just suffered a crushing defeat at Cannae and Carthage, under the command of the brilliant general Hannibal, appeared to have secured victory. Hieronymus then broke the alliance with Rome and allied himself with Carthage. This decision proved fatal, as Rome recovered from its disasters more quickly than expected and did not take Syracuse’s betrayal lightly. A Roman army was subsequently sent to Sicily under the command of General Marcellus; Hieron raised an army of 15,000 men and prepared for battle. However, he was assassinated by supporters of Rome before the battle could even begin. Marcellus rejected the peace proposals and subjected Syracuse to a gruelling two-year siege, which ended in its complete sacking
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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