Sicily, Syracuse, Timoleon, 344-317 BC, Stater ca. 344-339/8 BC, NGC graded

In the middle of the fourth century, Syracuse was oppressed by the tyrants Dionysius II and Hiketas and threatened by the Carthaginians. The Syracusans finally sent a delegation to Corinth to ask their mother city for help. Timeleon, a member of a prestigious Corinthian family, was chosen to take back control of Syracuse. He defeated and expelled the tyrants Dionysius II and Hiketas from the city, carried out extensive democratic reforms and brought many new settlers from Greece. He finally defeated the Carthaginians decisively and thus severely limited Carthage's influence in Sicily for many years.

At the beginning of his mission, there were not enough Greek coins in Syracuse. For several decades, no coins had been minted and the circulating coins must have been very worn. In order to finance his expedition to restore freedom and prosperity, he had to reform the coinage system. He decided to adopt the denomination and iconography of his Corinthian homeland, the silver Stater with the images of Athena and Pegasus, except the ethnicon, style and the design were based on Syracuse.