DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15099#0220
]73
the same view. The figure in the chariot is variously attired ;
upon a coin of Camarina it wears a helmet, and may be supposed
to be Minerva, whose worship prevailed in that city; but, as
the costume does not entirely correspond to that of the virgin
goddess, the figure may more probably be the personification of
the city, and her habiliments may be selected and arranged in
some degree after the model of the divinity who was her peculiar
patroness. It must however be acknowledged that, when the
figures are so small as those represented upon coins, a very slight
exaggeration in the details may materially affect the character
of the object; and we have, therefore, considerable doubt whether
the figure alluded to may not be a warrior armed with his helmet
and cuirass, after the manner of those who were accustomed to
contend in the chariot races during the Panathenaic festival; in
which case he would merely represent the tribe to which the suc-
cessful charioteer belonged. Such also may have been the
sentiment conveyed by those bearded charioteers, who are re-
presented upon the more ancient coins of Syracuse. Upon some
pieces of this city we see a figure, certainly of a female, with the
peplus floating, and filled with wind, exactly as upon the monu-
ment under consideration; she bears in her hand an object which
may perhaps be the thonged whip, such as appears to have been
used in Homeric times; or it may perhaps be a torch, and the
figure may allude to Ceres, the favourite divinity of Syracuse ; in
either case it may be a personification of the city.
In all these coins we are disposed to consider the figure stand-
ing in the chariot as the representative or personification of the
tribe, or of the city, to which the conqueror belonged, and the
honour attached to the city which gave birth to the successful
competitor at any of the great and sacred festivals will suffi-
ciently account for the celebration of his victory by making it
the subject of the type of their coins. The same feeling we
believe to have given origin to this monument, which appears
the same view. The figure in the chariot is variously attired ;
upon a coin of Camarina it wears a helmet, and may be supposed
to be Minerva, whose worship prevailed in that city; but, as
the costume does not entirely correspond to that of the virgin
goddess, the figure may more probably be the personification of
the city, and her habiliments may be selected and arranged in
some degree after the model of the divinity who was her peculiar
patroness. It must however be acknowledged that, when the
figures are so small as those represented upon coins, a very slight
exaggeration in the details may materially affect the character
of the object; and we have, therefore, considerable doubt whether
the figure alluded to may not be a warrior armed with his helmet
and cuirass, after the manner of those who were accustomed to
contend in the chariot races during the Panathenaic festival; in
which case he would merely represent the tribe to which the suc-
cessful charioteer belonged. Such also may have been the
sentiment conveyed by those bearded charioteers, who are re-
presented upon the more ancient coins of Syracuse. Upon some
pieces of this city we see a figure, certainly of a female, with the
peplus floating, and filled with wind, exactly as upon the monu-
ment under consideration; she bears in her hand an object which
may perhaps be the thonged whip, such as appears to have been
used in Homeric times; or it may perhaps be a torch, and the
figure may allude to Ceres, the favourite divinity of Syracuse ; in
either case it may be a personification of the city.
In all these coins we are disposed to consider the figure stand-
ing in the chariot as the representative or personification of the
tribe, or of the city, to which the conqueror belonged, and the
honour attached to the city which gave birth to the successful
competitor at any of the great and sacred festivals will suffi-
ciently account for the celebration of his victory by making it
the subject of the type of their coins. The same feeling we
believe to have given origin to this monument, which appears