SICILY. Syracuse. Philistis, wife of Hieron II, 275-215 BC. 16 Litrai or Tetradrachm (Silver, 26 mm, 13.27 g, 2 h), circa 218/7-215. Diademed and veiled bust of Philistis to left; behind, grain ear.
Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΣΣΑΣ - ΦΙΛΙΣΤΙΔΟΣ Nike driving quadriga galloping to right, holding reins in both hands; above, KI; below the horses, thunderbolt. BAR Issue 65. Burnett, Enna, pl. III, 42 (
same dies). HGC 2, 1556. Beautifully toned and free from the die rust that usually plagues this series, an excellent example. Thin flan crack
, otherwise, about extremely fine.
From the collection of Walter Weise, Künker 347, 22 March 2021, 643, ex Münzen Medaillen AG 85, 11 April 1997, 31 and Numismatica Ars Classica F, 17 April 1996, 1149.
Queen Philistis is known only from her coins, which were called Philistideia, and from an inscription in the theatre of Syracuse (IG XIV 3), where her name appears alongside that of Queen Nereis, who was a daughter of Pyrrhos of Epeiros and the wife of Gelon, the son of the King, Hieron II (275-215 BC). Given this connection and the large output of coins in Philistis' name, it is very likely that she was Hieron's wife.
