Ancient Coin of the Day: a lovely stater of Croton, with the double-relief design suggesting a date of ca. 420 BC.
The Obverse shows Heracles seated on a rock; while the Reverse is dominated by a tripod of Apollo. #ACOTD
Image: ANS 1967.152.98
The Obverse shows Heracles seated on a rock; while the Reverse is dominated by a tripod of Apollo. #ACOTD
Image: ANS 1967.152.98
Croton was one of the first cities of Italy to begin producing its own coinage, along with Metapontum, Sybaris and Caulonia, all founded principally by Greeks from the Peloponnese. Hence it is not surprising that they adopted 'Achaean' standards of weight for their coins.
Nor is it surprising that Croton adopted coin designs that spoke of the foundation myths of the city, with a principal actor therein being Heracles. Hence why he features so prominently on Croton's coinage.
Image: Reverse of ANS 1955.54.42
Image: Reverse of ANS 1955.54.42
This role as 'founder' is highlighted on the coin design at the head of this thread, where the faint traces of the Legend ΟIΚIΜΤΑΜ = ΟΙΚΙΣΤΑΣ - 'founder'.
The myth of Heracles' involvement in the foundation of Croton is recorded in poetry by Ovid (Metamorphoses 15.1-59), where he visits the hero Croton while returning with the cattle of Geryon, giving a pronouncement that a great city will be founded there.
This city would eventually be founded, according to Ovid, by Myscelus, whom Heracles visits in his sleep, prompting him to found the city.
Apollo fulfils a similar role, in that the settlers who originally founded Croton were inspired to go there by an oracle from Apollo at Delphi, hence why the tripod- the symbol of the god - features so prominently on the coinage.
Image: British Museum RPK,p271A.8
Image: British Museum RPK,p271A.8
On the example in the previous tweet, this clear connection is stressed even more by the addition of an Apollo on bended-knee, firing his arrows at the Python, the monster he defeated to take control of Delphi.
Thus we can see that coinage was a key means of advertising identity in the ancient world.
For more on these states and their activities, see:
John W. Wonder. “The Italiote League: South Italian Alliances of the Fifth and Fourth Centuries BC.” Classical Antiquity, vol. 31, no. 1, 2012, pp. 128–151.
jstor.org/stable/10.1525…
#ACOTD
John W. Wonder. “The Italiote League: South Italian Alliances of the Fifth and Fourth Centuries BC.” Classical Antiquity, vol. 31, no. 1, 2012, pp. 128–151.
jstor.org/stable/10.1525…
#ACOTD
