Tetradrachm
Encyclopedia
The tetradrachm was an Ancient Greek
silver coin equivalent to four drachmae
. It was in wide circulation from 510 to 38 BC.
of Athens
from around the middle of the 5th century BC onwards; the popular coin was widely used in transactions throughout the ancient Grecian world, including in cities politically unfriendly to Athens. Many tetradrachms are still surviving today, as they were used mainly traded between ships, tied together in groups of ten tetradrachms each. Athens had silver mines in state ownership, which provided the bullion. The Athenian tetradrachm was stamped with the head of Athena
on the obverse, and on the reverse the image of an owl
, the iconographic symbol of the Athenian polis, with a sprig of olive
and a crescent for the moon. The design was kept essentially unchanged for over two centuries, by which time it had become stylistically archaic. To differentiate their currency
from the rival coinage of Aegina
, Athens minted its tetradrachm based on the "Attic" standard of 4.3 gram
s per drachma.
The tetradrachm's use as currency
spread with the armies of Alexander the Great to the Greek-influenced areas
of present-day Iran
and India
.
Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity. Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era. Included in Ancient Greece is the...
silver coin equivalent to four drachmae
Greek drachma
Drachma, pl. drachmas or drachmae was the currency used in Greece during several periods in its history:...
. It was in wide circulation from 510 to 38 BC.
History
Many surviving tetradrachms were minted by the polisPolis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
of Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
from around the middle of the 5th century BC onwards; the popular coin was widely used in transactions throughout the ancient Grecian world, including in cities politically unfriendly to Athens. Many tetradrachms are still surviving today, as they were used mainly traded between ships, tied together in groups of ten tetradrachms each. Athens had silver mines in state ownership, which provided the bullion. The Athenian tetradrachm was stamped with the head of Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
on the obverse, and on the reverse the image of an owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
, the iconographic symbol of the Athenian polis, with a sprig of olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
and a crescent for the moon. The design was kept essentially unchanged for over two centuries, by which time it had become stylistically archaic. To differentiate their currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
from the rival coinage of Aegina
Aegina
Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born in and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era.-Municipality:The municipality...
, Athens minted its tetradrachm based on the "Attic" standard of 4.3 gram
Gram
The gram is a metric system unit of mass....
s per drachma.
The tetradrachm's use as currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
spread with the armies of Alexander the Great to the Greek-influenced areas
Hellenistic civilization
Hellenistic civilization represents the zenith of Greek influence in the ancient world from 323 BCE to about 146 BCE...
of present-day Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.