How big were ancient Greek coins?
The three most important standards of the ancient Greek monetary system were the Attic standard, based on the Athenian drachma of 4.3 grams (2.8 pennyweights) of silver, the Corinthian standard based on the stater of 8.6 g (5.5 dwt) of silver, that was subdivided into three silver drachmas of 2.9 g (1.9 dwt), and the …
Did Greeks carry coins in their mouths?
Usually Greeks carried coins in their mouths since their clothing lacked pockets. When someone died they were buried with a couple of coins in their mouth to pay the ferryman Charon their passage across the river Styx to the underworld.
Are ancient Greek coins rare?
An extremely rare coin dating back to ancient Greece has been found as a result of an operation conducted against historical artifact smugglers in 30 provinces. Weighing 42.5 grams and reportedly worth $1 million, the coin is known as “Athens Dekadrachm” and there are only 40 of these rare coins in the whole world.
Why did Greeks put coins on their eyes?
Paying for safe passage According to Greek legend, he needed to be paid an obol for his service. An obol was a type of coin from ancient Greece. The only way to make sure he got his payment was to bury the dead with a coin on their eyes or even in their mouths.
Why were coins used in ancient Greece?
Around 600BC city-states began to make their own coins. Greek coins had images of important people, symbols, local produce or gods and heroes and inscriptions to emphasize the independence and individuality of the city where they were made.
What are the characteristics of classical Greek coins?
Classical Greek city-states issued elegant coin types favoring certain symbols, gods, and heroes. These are 15 of the most distinctive ancient Greek coins of the Classical period. It is not an exaggeration that ancient art reached a high point in Classical Greece.
What was the first Greek coin made of silver?
The first silver ancient Greek coins belong to the city of Aegina. The Aeginitan standard was based on a silver didrachm or stater. These coins were used widely in areas without silver coinage such as Egypt and the Levant.
Why did the Greek mercenaries want to mark their coins?
The Greek mercenaries would also want the coins to be marked to provide authentication. The coins were equally used by every other Greek as a means of exchange. Electrum was the material used in making the coins; electrum is an alloy of silver and gold and highly priced.
How did the archaic Greek coin spread throughout the Achaemenids?
The archaic Greek coin also spread further than the Greek nation and was widely used in the Achaemenid Empire. These coins were found in bulk in several hoards, like the Apadana hoard and the Ghazzat hoard throughout the Achaemenid Empire. They were equally found in the Kabul hoard in ancient India after the Achaemenid conquest of the Indus Valley.