Greek numismatics is one of the most fascinating branches of history and archaeology, as the coins of Ancient Greece were not only a means of exchange, but also authentic works of art and powerful symbols of political, religious, and cultural identity.
Invention and expansion:
The first coins appeared in Asia Minor (Lydia) around 620 BC and spread rapidly throughout the Greek city-states (polis).
Main stages:
Archaic Period (ca. 600–480 BC): Early coinage, geometric shapes and symbols, animals and local emblems.
Classical Period (480–323 BC): Artistic and technical peak; coins with gods, heroes, and civic symbols.
Hellenistic period (323–30 BC): Portraits of living monarchs, mass issues following the conquests of Alexander the Great.
Materials: Gold, silver, bronze, electrum (natural alloy of gold and silver) and, to a lesser extent, billon (alloy of silver and copper).
Units and denominations:
Drachma: Basic unit, equivalent to 6 obols.
Pence: Fraction of a drachma.
Tetradrachm: 4 drachmas, very common in Athens and other cities.
Others: Didrachma (2 drachmas), stater , mina , talent (these last two as units of weight rather than physical coins).
Minting technique:
They were hammered, using hand-engraved dies. The obverse usually featured a local deity or symbol, and the reverse featured a city emblem or inscription.
Iconography: Each polis chose its own symbols: the owl of Athens, the tortoise of Aegina, the Pegasus of Corinth, the bee of Ephesus, etc. In the Hellenistic period, portraits of kings and historical figures proliferated.
Functions and relevance
- Medium of exchange: They facilitated local, regional and international trade throughout the Mediterranean.
- Symbol of sovereignty: Issuing currency was an act of political autonomy, reflecting the identity and power of each city or kingdom.
- Art and propaganda: Coins were used to spread religious, political and cultural images, and to project the image of the city or the monarch.
- They are primary sources for understanding the economy, religion, politics, and art of ancient Greece.
