SICILY. Kamarina (?). Circa 413-410 BC. Hemilitra (Silver, 9 mm, 0.39 g, 7 h). ΣIKA Head of a horned river-god facing with flowing hair. Rev. NI-KA Aphlaston; around, six pellets. Boehringer, Der sizilische Stempelschneider SIKA, QT 14 (1985), pl. 1, 1 = Manganaro, Dai mikrà kermata al chalkokratos kassiteros, JNG 34 (1984), pl. 5, 78 (same dies). Salzmann, AKIS - Flussgott statt Stempelschneider, SM 158 (May 1990), p. 36. Rare and in exceptional condition for the issue. Beautifully toned and very well struck. Extremely fine.


There has been considerable dispute over the attribution of this issue. Manganaro identifies the Sichaninoi or Ichaninoi, a local tribe that helped Syracuse in the fight against the Athenians in 415-413 BC, as the authority behind the issue, while Boehringer interpreted ΣIKA as the signature of a master engraver from Kamarina. Salzmann, on the other hand, reads the legend retrograde as AKIΣ, which is the name of a river in eastern Sicily, whose god would thus be shown on the obverse.