Genuine Roman Bronze Coin Pendant depicting a Lyre

An authentic bronze coin from the 2nd century BC has been set in this sterling silver pendant. which comes from Lilybaeon (later Lilibeo) Sicilian city which corresponds to today's Marsala. The coin depicts a Lira on one side and the head of Apollo on the other. Marsala is built on the ruins of the ancient Carthaginian city of Lilybaeum and includes in its territory the archaeological site of the island of Motya, an ancient Phoenician town. In 218 BC, in the Second Punic War, the Battle of Lilybaeum was fought between the navies of Carthage and Rome when Carthage attempted a secret raid on the city to re-establish a base. Marcus Amellius, the praetor at Lilybaeum, was told about the impending raid and prepared his 20 ships which managed to defeat the 50 opposing quinqueremes. In the republican period the city was enriched with mansions and public buildings and dubbed splendidissima urbs by Cicero, who served as quaestor in the region between 76 and 75 BC. During the Civil Wars Lilybaeum was twice besieged, in 43 BC by Sextus Pompeius and 38 by Lepidus during which the walls were further strengthened as shown by an inscription. The city walls were abandoned in the 4th c. AD as shown by buildings erected over or beside the walls. Even today the emblem of the city shows the image of Apollo with the Lyre.