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3* The very (16) learned Father Frcelich takes the 
fabric of thefe pieces not a little to refemble that of 
many of thofe flruck in Sicily. I am therefore in- 
clined to believe, that Philidis was queen of Syra- 
cufe, at the fame time that (he was fovereign of 
Malta and Gozo ; and that thofe iflands, whofe Greek 
inhabitants were probably for the mod: part either 
Syracufians or of Syracudan extraction, were depen- 
dencies of Syracufe, when the medals now in view 
fird appeared. Nor can this, I think, after what 
has been faid here, be well denied. 
IV. 
As we find not the lead mention made of queen 
Philidis in antient hidory, and no certain chrono- 
logical characters on her coins ; I mud not take upon 
me to afeertain, with any degree of precifion, either 
the end or commencement of her reign. It may 
neverthelefs be prefumed, that lhe (17) mud have 
them to have preceded the middle and latter part of Gelo’s reign. 
Other tefti monies and arguments might be offered in fupport of 
the point I am now upon, were it not altogether fuperfluous to 
produce them here. 
(16) Erafm. Froelieh. Element. Numifmatic. p.133, 134. 
Vienna, Pragae, et Tergefti, 1758. Prin. de Torremuz. ubi fup. 
As the filver pieces here mentioned were antiently of a greater 
current value, and more remarkable, than any of the other coins 
of Philiftis ; they teem to have appertained to that fpecies of 
money called Philistidion by Hefychius. I have, (fee Tab. V. 
n. 8.) one of them, perfectly well pteferved, of the tetradachmai 
form. We are told by Beger, that they have been mentioned 
by Suidas, but this is a miftake. t&iArrfJW, v^itrp.a n. Hefych. 
Vide L. Beger. Ihejaur. Brand . Seleft. Tom. I. p. 300, 301. 
(ry) That the reign of Philiftis was anterior to that of Dio- 
irylius I. will, I believe, from the following confiderations, pretty, 
clearly appear. 1, There feema to be a fort of chafm in the 
preceded 
