C 87 ] 
now before me are more antient than any that have 
been hitherto tranfmitted down to us, with Phoenician 
charaders upon them. For that the reign of Phi- 
liftis was anterior to that of Dionyfius I. feems plain 
from hence, that there is no room for her in the 
fubfequent part of the Syracufian hiftory, as I have juft 
obferved; the whole fpace being filled with the reigns 
of princes and tyrants, of which we meet with a good 
account in antient hiftory. Nor .will it appear ftrange, 
that what is advanced here fhould be agreeable to 
truth, though hiftory has been altogether filent as to the 
princefs whofe coins I am now endeavouring to 
throw fome light upon. For we may infer from 
(18) Tully, that there were 27 kings and tyrants of 
Syracufe, of which eleven have been unnoticed in 
hiftory; and from (19) Valerius Maximus it ap- 
fafely fuppofe that princefs to have begun her reign above forty 
years befote Dionyfius the elder afcended the Syracufian throne. 
Nor do I apprehend, that the learned, after having maturely 
weighed what has been here advanced, will refufe their affent to 
fuch a fuppofition. Diod. Sic. Lib. XI. p. 469, 470. Ed. Wef- 
feling. Amftelodami, 1745. Thucydid. Lib. VII. Scyl. Cary- 
and. Valer. Max. Phil. Cluver. Burchard, Niderft. Ridolf.Venut. 
&c. Univ. Hiji. vol. vii. p. 556. Lond. 1747. 
( 18) Cic. Orat. in Verrem , Lib. iv. cap. 55. Videetiam. Prin. 
de Torremuzza, ubi fup. p. 62. col. 2. 
(19) Va'er. Maxim. Lib. VI. cap. 2. extern. 2. Prin. de 
Torremuzza, ubi fup. p. 62. col. 2. — The anecdote here referred 
to is as follows. cc When the vvhcle body of the Syracufians 
“ earnefily wifhed for Dionyfius’s death, on account of the 
“ extreme rigour and feverity of his government; a very old 
“ woman offered up her prayers levery morning to the gods for 
“ the continuance of his life, and that fhe might not furvive 
“ him. The tyrant being informed of this, and wondering at 
“ her unmerited benevolence, fen-t for her, and afked her how 
“ he came to be fo much in her favour ? She replied in the fol- 
“ lowing terms. “ When I was a girl, we had a cruel tyrant, 
c ‘ whofe death I greatly defired. He vvas at lalt cut off by his 
5 pears. 
