★ The river god Palagkaios ★

SICILY. Agyrion. 354/3-344 BC. Litra (Bronze, 32 mm, 31.53 g, 3 h). AΓY[PINAION] Head of Herakles to right, wearing lion skin headdress. Rev. [ΠAΛAΓKAIOΣ] Forepart of the river-god Palagkaios, in the form of a man-headed bull, to right. CNS III, 5. HGC 2, 47. Very rare. Corroded, otherwise, fine.

From a Swiss collection, formed in Ticino from the 1970s to 2000s.

Agyrion was an ancient city west of Mount Etna, founded by the Sikels. The name Palagkaios, appearing on the reverse of this very rare type, was likely the native Sikel name of the larger of the two rivers flowing through the city, which is also represented here in the form of a man-headed bull.