Nomos 33

SICILY. Himera. Circa 470-450 BC. Litra (Silver, 10 mm, 0.60 g, 9 h). Male head to right, with short hair, a simple taenia and a pointed beard. Rev. ΙΜ-ΕRΑ-Ν (partially retrograde) Corinthian helmet to right, with tendril on the bowl. Buceti 27a (same dies). Dewing 618. SNG Munich 355. For the interesting legend, see erudite note below. Clear and lightly toned. Porous surfaces, otherwise, good very fine.

From the Collection of Jonathan H. Kagan, ex Classical Numismatic Group XXV, 24 March 1993, 70.

There is, of course, no H in the Greek spelling of Himera; the N we see here is the end of the genitive plural meaning "of the people of Himera". However, the use of the Doric form (with Α rather than Ο or Ω) confirms the statement by the Greek historian Thucydides that the language spoken in Himera was a mixture of Chalkidian and Doric (6.5.1).