The coinage of ancient Greece has given us some of the most recognisable images from antiquity as they were stamped with designs to proudly declare the identity of the city which minted them and guarantee their value. One of the great archaeological survivors, coins are an invaluable source of information on cultural practices, important individuals, and ancient international relations.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 635 BCE - 585 BCEReign of Alyattes of Lydia. Minting of first coins made from electrum.
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600 BCE - 300 BCEDionysos appears on the coins of Naxos, Mende and various other Greek city states.
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c. 550 BCEThe silver drachma of Delos depicts a lyre - symbolic of Apollo - on its reverse side.
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470 BCEGortyn on Crete begins to mint its own coinage.
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c. 360 BCEPan appears on the reverse of coins of the Arcadian League.
