Sicily, Gela, Didrachm ca. 490/85-480/75 BC

The second tyrant of the city of Gela, Hippocrates, ruled the city from 498 to 491 B.C. The name Hippocrates means horsepower. Hippocrates developed an especially good light cavalry. With the help of this cavalry in particular, Hippocrates conquered significant parts of Sicily. These included the cities of Leontini, Naxos, Zankle/Messana and others. After his death, Hippocrates’ former cavalry commander, Gelon, took power and became the new tyrant of the city of Gela. It is therefore not surprising that the depiction on the obverse is dedicated to the importance of the aristocratic cavalry. It also celebrates Gelon's successes as a cavalry commander during the conquests under Hippocrates and his associated rise. Gelon modernized the monetary system and introduced the minting of Didrachms. The present coin is one of them. These were also primarily needed to pay for his military operations, especially for the later capture of Syracuse.

The protome of the man-headed bull charging to the right on the reverse is an artistic representation of the personification of the river Gela, at the mouth of which the city lay. The symbolism goes back to Achelous, the father of all rivers, whom was depicted in a similar way. The river gave the city its name and means “cold” in the language of the Siculi. Virgil and Ovid had already reported how particularly dangerous the river was, which is why it is depicted as stormy and brutal.