Ancient Gold - Byzantine

Lot 2013    SESSION 11 (7.30PM WEDNESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER)    Ancient Gold - Byzantine

Estimate $2,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

SICILY, Syracuse, silver four litrai, issued by Gelon, son of Hieron II, (c. 218-215 B.C.), (3.38 g), obv. diademed head of Gelon to left, rev. **SURAKOSIOI GELWMOS*, eagle with closed wings standing to right on a thunderbolt, BA to left, **F* to right, (s.987, CCO 297 (D1/R2), BAR Issue 67, HGC 2, 1563, SNG ANS 902 (same dies), BMC 537 (same dies), Jameson 84 (same dies), Winterthur 994 (same dies)). Lightly toned, superb metal for issue, good very fine and rare.

Ex Anthony (Tony) Taylor Collection.^CNG Auction 456, lot 50. Previously the BRN Collection. Ex Volteia Collection (CNG Inventory 421968, January 2016).^^Polybios records of Gelon that he 'made it his highest object in life to obey his father and not to consider wealth or royal power or anything else as more valuable than affection and loyalty to his parents'. His father Hieron certainly saw fit to associate him with his government, as evidenced by the coinage in his name, and appears even to have bestowed the title of king upon him. He married a daughter of Pyrrhos, and had a daughter as well as a son - the future king Hieronymos.^Yet in contrast to Polybios' account, Livy asserts that following the Roman defeat at Cannae, Gelon contravened his father's wishes by attempting to subvert the Syracusan alliance with Rome. He also notes that Gelon's conveniently timed death cast suspicion even on his father Hieron. Livy's remarks should however be taken with a generous pinch of salt.