Some Unpublished Fifth-Century "Litrai" From Morgantina (Sicily) and the Date of Morgantina's Earliest Coinage

This article publishes five silver litrai of fifth-century date recovered in controlled archaeological excavations at the site of Morgantina in central Sicily. These coins enhance our understanding of coin circulation on the island and corroborate the view that the Early Classical settlement at Morgantina was well-connected within trade networks of eastern Sicily. Among the coins presented is a litra struck by the mint of Morgantina, the first coin issued by the polis. This coin is the only specimen of this series to emerge from controlled stratigraphie excavations at the archaeological site or, for that matter, anywhere on Sicily. The context of its discovery invites a reassessment of the date and the historical setting of these early litrai of Morgantina.