Sicily

5th Democracy, 5th Democracy 214-212 BC

SNG ANS 1040,  Superb Extremely Fine

Helmeted head of Athena left, wearing Attic helmet decorated with a serpent; snake representing an aegis at the front of neck. Rev. Artemis standing left, drawing bow, hound springing at her feet. Burnet D20 (same obverse die).

After peace was achieved, Hieron built new edifices for Syracuse, including a massive theatre during the period 238-215 BC, hoping to assure it would remain the center of the Greek world, but when Hieronymus sided with Carthage against Rome a long siege from 213 to 211 BC occurred and ended with the city-state being sacked by the Roman commander Marcus Claudius Marcellus. Without a leader, Syracuse became a Roman provincial capital.