Syracuse, Sicily AE12 275-215 BCE 

• -270 
• Greece (ancient) 
• AE 12 
• Ancient Greece before 146 B.C. 

4884843

Coins

Syracuse, Sicily AE12 275-215 BCE

-270

Dolphins, Trident

2.21

11.66

SYP-AKO / SI-ON

SG 1223 (var. 1/2 or 1/4 unit)

Obv; Head of Poseidon left, wearing tainia Rev. Ornamented trident-head between two dolphins Hiero II was the Greek Sicilian Tyrant of Syracuse from 270 to 215 BC, and the illegitimate son of a Syracusan noble, Hierocles, who claimed descent from Gelon. He was a former general of Pyrrhus of Epirus and an important figure of the First Punic War. On the departure of Pyrrhus from Sicily (275 BC) the Syracusan army and citizens appointed him commander of the troops. He strengthened his position by marrying the daughter of Leptines, the leading citizen. Pressed by the Roman forces, in 263 he concluded a treaty with Rome, by which he was to rule over the south-east of Sicily and the eastern coast as far as Tauromenium. From this time until his death in 215 BC he remained loyal to the Romans, and frequently assisted them during the Punic war.