His cult had spread from the east and had reached Thasos from the neighboring region of Thrace. The island of Thasos in the Northern Aegean was known for its cult of Dionysus (Bacchus). Thasos Satyr Abducting Nymph (obv.) and Quadripartite Incuse Square (rev.), Silver stater of Thasos, 411-390 BCE, American Numismatic Society However, the crab is consistently encountered on Kos’s coinage, reminding us of its island culture.ġ2. During the fourth century, Kos produced coins with various themes mainly drawn from the legend of the hero Heracles. In the classical period, the crab became the city’s badge. Located in the eastern Aegean near the coast of Asia, the city presented a rich numismatic tradition. Kos was part of the Dorian Pentapolis alongside the cities of Lindos, Ialysos, Kamiros, and Knidos. Kos Heracles (obv.) and Crab (rev.), Silver tetradrachm of Kos, 370-45 BCE, American Numismatic Society This served as an indication of the island’s wealth and trading activity which relied on the local wine.ġ3. The reverse side of its coinage commonly featured an amphora with a bunch of grapes. The sphynx remained the numismatic badge of the city until the third century BCE. Nevertheless, Chios fought against the Athenians during the Peloponnesian War and again in the Social War (357–355 BC). Finally, it joined the Delian League of Athens. The beginning of the fifth century found the island fighting for its independence. Chios during the archaic period was a subject of Persia. Chios Sphinx (obv.) and Quadripartite incuse square with magistrate’s name (rev.), Silver drachm of Chios, 412-334 BCE, Coin ArchivesĬhios is an island right across the Asiatic coast. The standard reverse type of the city’s coinage was an incuse design also called “skew”.ġ4. The widespread circulation of Aeginitan coins led multiple Aegean cities to adopt the Aeginitan weight standard.Īegina’s badge was the tortoise. These coins were used widely in areas without silver coinage such as Egypt and the Levant. The Aeginitan standard was based on a silver didrachm or stater. The first silver ancient Greek coins belong to the city of Aegina. However, it restored its image by fighting valiantly in the Naval battle of Salamis (480 BCE) alongside the Athenians. During the Persian invasion of Greece, Aegina initially submitted to the Persians. The city of Aegina was a Dorian colony of the city of Epidaurus. Aegina Turtle (obv.) and Incuse Square (rev.), Silver stater of Aegina, 456/45-431 BC, American Numismatic SocietyĪegina is an island near Athens in the western Aegean. Worth noting is that in ancient numismatics (the study of ancient coinage) a coin’s front-side is called obverse and its back-side reverse.ġ5. These symbols (badges) were representations of the city and made its coins easily recognizable. The coinage of each city-state employed symbols drawn from history and myth.
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