Bruttium, Petelia
Late 3rd century BCE
AE 17mm 5.29g
Obv: laureate head of Apollo to right.
Rev: ΠΕΤΗ-ΛΙΝΩΝ, tripod with three handles and legs ending in lion’s feet; to left, torch.
Attianese, Petelia, 13; SNG ANS 603; SNG München 1554
Per legend, Petelia was founded by Philoctetes, the best of the Greek archers in the Trojan War.
The city benefitted from choosing the right answer in the Second Punic War, remaining loyal to Rome while most of its neighbors chose Hannibal. However, the city was besieged by Hannibal, taken, and then all of its inhabitants replaced by people loyal to Carthage. After the war, Rome returned the city to the natives who had stood by them.
The current location is disputed, and was either at modern day Strongoli, Monte Stella, or Petilia Policastro. The Petelia Gold Tablet, now housed in the British Museum, was found near Strongoli and contains an interesting orphic inscription. Ruins have been found on Monte Stella, but because it now serves as a military radar base, few excavations have occurred.