Ancient Greece was a fascinating society renowned for its philosophers, democracy, gods and goddesses, and its art work. Even today, college courses continue to study ancient Greek art in art history courses and ancient Greek philosophers in philosophy courses. In fact, ancient Greek coins have endured thousands of years and are still in tact today.
The first Greek coins emerged in the Archaic Era, although no one knows the exact date. Before coins were developed, people used a variety of objects as currency. Exchanging goods and services was complicated without a consistent form of currency. Greek people agreed upon a currency that would be useful to everyone and that would be easy to carry around. The first coins they created were made out of electrum, which is a mixture of gold and silver. By using metal to create coins, currency would never fall apart and became much easier to transport. Today, we would like to discuss the Classical Greek Era, including its coins.
The Classical Period 500- 323 BCE
Prior to the Classical Era, Greek coins looked more like nuggets and featured little design elements. Additionally, these coins were handmade, unlike the mass produced coins of the modern world. Previously, the Archaic Era was dominated by the Greek city-states. The Classical Period in Greece occurred 500- 323 BCE and ended upon the death of Alexander the Great. One of the most fascinating eras in Greek history, scholars continue to study the Classical Period today.
An Era Of War And Conflict
The Classical Era proved to be a rather tumultuous time in Greek history. The Greeks and the Persians fought extensively, and the Athenians and Spartans constantly battled amongst themselves.
Athenian Domination
After extensive battles, the Greeks finally defeated the Persians for good in the Battle of Salamis. Once the Persians were finally defeated, the Athenians dominated Greek society culturally, economically, and politically. In fact, a new governing system emerged known as demokratia, a sovereign governing group in Athens.
Classical Art
Under the support of Pericles, Athenian artists and thinkers thrived with his tribute money. Many stunning works of art emerged in the Classical Era, which were characterized by sculptures of people in stages of movement. Men were depicted as very athletic and fit, and women were depicted with roundness and softness in all of their curves. Famous playwrights emerged during the Classical Era, such as Euripides, Sophocles, and Aeschylus. Attending both comedic and dramatic plays was a very popular activity during this time.
Coins
During the Classical Period, coins gained even more popularity, which caused the design elements of coins to evolve. The coins of this era are marked by a more distinct attention to detail and design. The coins of the era reflect the Athenian dominance in the time period. Athens was named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and she adorned some of the most famous ancient Greek coins.
The Athenian Teradrachms are also known as the “Athenian Owls” because they feature a detailed depiction of an owl on the back side of the coins. Other coins of the era also depicted extraordinary attention to detail, such as an image of a winged pegasus.
The creative endeavors of the Classical Era in Greece are truly fascinating. Our collectable coins include greek gold coins and other rare gold coins. Shop our silver and gold coins today to add to your collection.