What does the word tetradrachm mean?

: an ancient Greek silver coin worth four drachmas.

How much is a tetradrachm coin worth?

The coin is a tetradrachm, meaning that it was worth four drachmas; one drachma, in turn, was worth six obols. It is a high value coin representing, in the mid-fifth century BC, four days’ pay for a skilled labourer or for a hoplite soldier, or two days’ pay for a sculptor working on a public building.

How is Alexander depicted on the coin?

Alexander, responsible for establishing the conventions of royal portraiture, is depicted in his preferred manner: youthful and clean-shaven, with long locks of hair rising above his forehead and eyes cast upward. Additionally, he is shown with horns curling around his ears.

What was the common term for the Athenian tetradrachm?

These coins were struck in such huge numbers that they have come to be known as “Mass Classical Owls”. They are the most common and most popular of the Athenian tetradrachms, as a result of which they are also known as the “Standardized Owls” or “Conventional Owls”.

How much was a drachma worth in Bible times?

A modern person might think of one drachma as the rough equivalent of a skilled worker’s daily pay in the place where they live, which could be as low as US$1, or as high as $100, depending on the country.

Are Greek coins worth anything?

Today ancient Greek coins are also numismatic coins. This means that they are worth more than the value of their precious metal and are therefore valuable collectibles. Their added value is mainly a result of their ancient history and rarity.

Did Spartans have coins?

Later in Spartan history, after the tetradrachm denomination had been abandoned, the Spartans began to issue small silver coins that typically weighed about 2.2 to 2.5 grams. They were struck in two denominations: hemidrachms (half-drachms) and triobols (three obols).

Why does Alexander have ram horns?

Alexander was worshipped as a god after his death. Here he sports the ram’s horns of the god, Zeus Ammon, whom Egyptian priests claimed was Alexander’s father. On the reverse of the coin is the goddess Athena.

What age did Alexander the Great start his conquest?

Alexander was just 16 when Philip went off to battle and left his son in charge of Macedonia. In 338 B.C., Alexander saw the opportunity to prove his military worth and led a cavalry against the Sacred Band of Thebes—a supposedly unbeatable, select army made up entirely of male lovers—during the Battle of Chaeronea.

Why does Alexander the Great have horns?

The horns were the symbol of the Egyptian god Amun—or Zeus, who is often conflated with Amun—from whom Alexander claimed descent. Flanked with these godlike horns, Alexander attained the status of a deity.

How old is the Alexander the Great coin?

Struck in huge quantities using fine silver and gold, an impressive amount of these now-ancient artifacts have survived in good condition over the course of 2,300 years! Collectors world-wide will be excited to know that several of these intricate coins are now available from MCM to be added to your growing collection.