2022-06-02 Thu

Greece is a peninsular country surrounded by water on three sides. The maritime activity reflects in day to day life of modern Greece as well as during the ancient period.

An ancient people's reliance on the sea is reflected in money. Finely engraved images of animals and mythic creatures are commonplace on ancient Greek coins. Among the most frequently shown aquatic creatures, the octopuses are quite admirably depicted on the coins of Syracuse – one of the great maritime cities of the Greek world.

The above coin is a silver litra issued between circa 474 and 450 B.C. The coin depicts the head of Arethusa facing right with a dolphin behind and before. Arethusa was a nymph who fled from her home in Arcadia beneath the sea and came up as a freshwater fountain. She is shown wearing a necklace and loosely gathered hair at the top of her head.

The reverse of the coin depicts an Octopus wiggling and spreading tentacles with three pellets indicating the value.

Image courtesy: coinworld.com