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Sicily, Himera, Hexas

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Sicily, Himera, Hexas (obverse) Sicily, Himera, Hexas (reverse)

All of Himera's coins were of outstanding artistic quality, even small denominations like this hexas. The obverse shows a rider on a goat, blowing a conch shell trumpet. On the reverse is a flying Nike holding an aphlaston, the high curved stern of Greek oared warships. The aphlaston (Latin aplustrum) was used on ancient coins to symbolize maritime power.

The two pellets next to Nike indicated the coins value of two onkiae, or one hexas – one sixth of a litra, which held twelve onkiae.

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