2026-02-20 Fri

In the ancient world, rivers were seen as divine forces that shaped the landscape. Civilizations around the globe grew in the fertile river valleys. In ancient Greece, people believed rivers personified powerful gods who could change their forms. These deities were often depicted as hybrid beings, mixing human and animal traits.

One important river god in ancient Greek religion is Achelous, known as the largest river in Greece. He is the child of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. Achelous is typically represented as a hybrid figure with a serpent's body, bull's horns, and a human face. Many artworks show his famous contest with Heracles over Deianeira, Princess of Calydon. Heracles won by breaking one of Achelous' horns forming the legendary Cornucopia. For more information about Heracles, check this link: Greek And Roman Deities On Coins-3.

Achelous' image appears on coins from the 4th century BCE. The coin featured in this post is a 219 BCE - 211 BCE Bronze Coin from Oeniadae, an ancient city in Acarnania, situated along the Achelous River in Greece. This coin has a dia of 23.6 mm and weighs 5.12 grams. The obverse displays a laureate head of Zeus facing right, accompanied by a star behind the head. The reverse illustrates a horned head of Achelous, also facing right, with a monogram on the left.

For additional insights into Zeus, refer to the following link: Greek And Roman Deities On Coins-7.