Coin with chariot [решено]

Hi. I want to appeal for help in identifying the coin (medal?). Similar to a coin of Syracuse, but a strange inscription under the chariot. Thanks in advance.

Yuri.

Modern medal based on this coin from Syracuse Sicily:


And a fake of this medal produced in 1898:

Link to real example: http://tokencatalog.com/token_record_forms.php?action=DisplayTokenRecord&td_id=464378&inventory_id=498060&attribution_id=477766

The inscription seems to read:

ΣΤΕΑΡΝΣ (transcribed STEARNS)
DCCCXCVIII

though there may be the trace of a letter at the beginning, before the first Σ.

The end of the year is unclear, but it looks like 1898, or perhaps 1896 if the last couple of unclear strokes are just accidental.

I'm wondering whether the name of the medalist is English, but transcribed in Greek? Perhaps in the right volume of the Biographical Dictionary of Medalists?

EDIT: The edited part of Steve's message came as I was writing my post. Nice work!

Thank you very much for your help!