Numismata hellenica: a catalogue of Greek coins; with notes, a map ...

56
Metal
M Size
2-
M
M
M
M
M
3i
3i
3
4
Weight
8-9
11-S
9-6
INSULAR GREECE.
Female, standing to I. ; in right hand, patera over altar ; in left hand, ?. R. V 3 T ^ 3.
Andromorphous bull to r.— Electrotype from the B. M.
ERYX.
Note Some of the Greek cities at the Sicanian, or western end of Sicily, were of earlier date
than those which attained to greater fame and opulence on the eastern and southern shores. One of
them was Eryx, colonized by the Greeks soon after the Trojan war, but where the worship of Venus
Urania had probably been introduced at a remoter period by the Phoenicians, as in the similar situa-
tions of Paphus, lalysus, and Cythera. Few coins of Eryx are extant later in date than 400 B.c.
In the third century B. c. it was destroyed more than once by the Carthaginians. From the transactions
which immediately preceded the peace at the end of the first Punic war, it appears that the ancient
site of Eryx, on a tabular summit, 2175 feet above the sea, had become an acropolis, or fortress, and
that the town of Eryx then stood on the descent from thence, which led by a road of thirty stades in
length to Drepanum, which was the harbour of Eryx ('Eptiicii/«v i^rropiov), now Tripani (Polyb. 1,
58. Diodor. Eel. 24, 1). In process of time the people of lower Eryx retired into Drepanum, the
population of which is now triple that of San Giuliano, the modem name of old Eryx.
Venus, seated to I. ; on extended right arm, bird to r., with open wings ; the field
to r., occupied by branch of ivy. R. ERVKINON. Dog, standing to r.
Note.—This type (the dog) is found also on coins of Segesta and Motya, and appears to allude to
the fable of the foundation of these three towns, as well as Entella, by Egestes, son of Segesta,
daughter of Phcenodamus of Troy, by the river Crimisus, in the form of a dog (Tzetz. ad Lycoph.,
V. 953).
GALARIA,
sive GALARINA.
Note.—Galaria was said to have been founded by Morges, son of Siculus (Steph. in v.), from which
fable we may infer that it stood in the part of Sicily, which had been occupied by the Siculi and
Morgetes, coming from Italy, and where Morgantium took its name from the latter tribe and this
;
agrees with Diodorus (19, 104), from whom Galaria appears to have been not far from Centuripse.
a small town situated
Sicilian antiquaries place it, but without any monumental evidence, at Gagliano,
to the north-east of the site of Agyrium, and to the north-west of Centuripse.
Jupiter Aetophorus, seated to I. ; around, ^OTER, from r. to I. R. CAAA.
Bacchus, standing to I. ; in right hand, cantharus ; in left, grapes ; the whole of
archaic style. — Electrotype from the B. M.
GAULUS.
{Gozo di Malta.)
Note.—In this island are the remains of a Phoenician or Punic temple, concurring with its coins
in showing the ancient sanctity and importance of Gaulus.
Veiled head of Ceres to r. R. Tripod; in field to r., the Punic letters, VV-f ;
to I., the same letters.
Same type. R. Ram's head to r. ; below, same three letters.
Head of Diana to r. ; below, crescent. R. [rA]YAITiiN. Warrior, throwing spear
to r. ; in field to r., star.
Helmeted head to r. ; below, crescent. R. Same legend, type, and star.
Head of Jupiter to r. R. Military figure to r. ; in right hand, short sword ; in
left, shield and spear ; in field to I., two globules.