Sicily, Syracuse. Bronze Timoleon

Sicily, Syracuse. Bronze (AE), 25 mm. Circa 345–317 BC. Timoleon to early Agathoklean period. Obv. Laureate head of Zeus right. Rev. Thunderbolt and eagle; all within wreath. Ref. SNG Copenhagen 727; SNG München 1151 ff. Ex Credit Suisse. Monetarium. No. 31. Spring 1980. Lot 25.

A robust civic bronze from the late classical revival at Syracuse, traditionally placed in the years of Timoleon and continuing into the opening phase of Agathokles. The majestic head of Zeus asserts divine patronage over the reformed polis and its restored institutions. The reverse pairs the thunderbolt, emblem of Olympian authority, with the eagle, a symbol of vigilance and victory that appears across Syracusan issues of the period. These bronzes formed the backbone of local commerce and reflect the city’s renewed stability after decades of tyranny and Carthaginian pressure. Cleanly struck on a broad module, with well-preserved detail and an appealing cabinet tone.