Sicily. Panormos
275-212 BCE
AE 21.77mm 10.36g
Obverse: Bust of Pallas Athena right, wearing crested Corinthian helmet, border of dots
Reverse: Head of Persephone left, crowned with barley
SNG Copenhagen 522v; BMC 5
Ex BA Seaby Ltd. (2 August 1964)
Panormos was the modern day city of Palermo, the largest and busiest of Sicilian cities. It was founded by Phoenicians in 734 BCE and was called Ziz, before shifting to the Greek name of Panormos. During the Punic Wars, the city was contested between Carthage and Rome. Rome was victorious, though many of its soldiers died in traffic accidents.