Silver tetradrachm of Demetrius Poliorketes

Until the end of the Classical period, Greek coins bore the images of deities protecting the city or symbolic objects. This changed in the Hellenistic period, when coins started depicting the images of rulers on the front side.

Numerous coins depict the head of Alexander the Great, but they were probably minted after his death by other kings. The first ruler to portray his face on a coin during his reign was Demetrius Poliorketes, one of Alexander’s successors.

In this silver tetradrachm, which was minted in Amphipolis in 290-289 BC, we see on the front side the head of Demetrius Poliorketes with a diadem and bull’s horns, and on the back side the figure of standing Poseidon, who steps on a rock and holds the trident. On either side of Poseidon, there are inscriptions reading ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΥ (of king Demetrius).

The tradition established by Demetrius Poliorketes for the depiction of rulers on coins continued through Roman and Byznatine times.

PUBLICATION
Sourlas D. 2006. Cat. no. 161, in Choremi-Spetsieri Α. – Zarkadas Α. (eds), The Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum. Ancient Art, Athens, 250.