Unlike most other Sicilian coinage depicting chariots, the coinage of Messana does not in fact portray horses, but a pair of donkeys! This was in order to honor the Olympic victory won by the local tyrant Anaxilas in either 484 or 480 BC. Additionally, the rabbit (or hare) on the reverse was employed since Anaxilas was supposedly responsible for introducing the animal to the island. Another interesting aspect is that the hare was sacred to Pan, a god revered at Messana. This particular coin, however, was struck less than 50 years after the city gained its independence form the Anaxilid tyrants in 461 BC. Interestingly they changed their name from Zankle to the more common Messana. They continued to retain the majority of their numismatic imagery, probably in order to retain a portion of the honor and prestige of an Olympic victory.