>> Ancient Greek Coins - #Greek-33140
400-350 B.C. - Apollo Diobol
Coin Type: ANCIENT GREEK Date: 400 – 350 B.C.
Denomination: DIOBOL Metal: SILVER
Ruler: GREEK – CITY STATES Framing: 18 KT
Mint: APOLLONIA PONTICA 7 Diamonds: .14 CT
(On the Eastern edge of Thrace) Certificate Number: 33140
Country: THRACE
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo facing forward.
Reverse: Anchor inverted; to the right, A; to the left, crayfish.
The reference used for this coin is the British Museum Catalog of Greek Coins, volume 15.
Apollonia Pontica (modern day Sozopol) was a Black Sea port and a colony of Miletos which boasted a fine temple of Apollo with a large statue by the sculptor Kalamis.
The reverse of this silver diobol is the portrait of Apollo. He was the god of everything above ground and is the father of the Greek god Helios (the sun god).
Apollonia Pontica was located in the Gulf of Burgas on the Thracian coast, about two hundred miles south of the mouth of the Danube. It served as an outlet for the grain of the Hebros and Danube valleys. The final Thracian campaign of Philip of Macedon brought about the mention of Apollonia since they feared losing their monopoly of the Black Sea trade.
The anchor and crayfish design on the obverse symbolizes its character as a seaport. The letter A is undoubtedly an abbreviation for the city name of Apollonia. |
