Tetradrachm: Owl (reverse)
Greek, minted at Athens (Attica) · 449–407 BCE · Cleveland Museum of Art
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From the museum
Incorporating the first three letters of the city name—ΑΘΕ—with then-iconic images of the patron goddess Athena and her owl, the Athenian tetradrachm was among the most widely traded and most recognizable coins of the ancient world. The olive leaves on Athena’s helmet and the small crescent moon behind the owl date this coin after the Persian Wars. The basic design of Athenian tetradrachms is now back in use, on Greek one-Euro coins.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0
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Details
- Maker
- Greek, minted at Athens (Attica)
- Date
- 449–407 BCE
- Medium
- silver
- Dimensions
- Diameter: 2.3 cm (7/8 in.)
- Place of origin
- Greek
- Held by
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · Not on view
- Credit line
- Gift of J. H. Wade
Image: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0