Silver Drachm from Massalia in Gaul (about 2,100-2,000 years ago)
This silver drachm was produced in Massalia (modern Marseille, France), a Greek colony in southern Gaul (France) during the 2nd-1st centuries BCE. Founded around 600 BCE by Greek settlers from Phocaea, Massalia developed into a major Mediterranean trading port that maintained Greek cultural traditions in the Celtic world. This coin represents the economic vitality of this important cultural crossroads where Greek and Celtic civilizations met and influenced each other.
Coin Description:
Front side: The obverse depicts Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt and protector of Massalia, likely shown in profile wearing a wreath or diadem, reflecting standard Greek artistic conventions.
Back side: The reverse features a lion advancing (walking), a symbol associated with Massalia's coinage for centuries, potentially with inscriptions or additional symbols in the field.
Technical Details:
Silver composition (AR)
Drachm denomination (standard Greek silver coin, smaller than a tetradrachm)
Weight: Approximately 2.7-3.5 grams
Size: Approximately 15-18mm in diameter
Strike Quality: 4/5 (excellent strike quality with sharp details)
Surface Quality: 4/5 (excellent surface preservation with minimal issues)
Date of minting: 2nd-1st centuries BCE (late Hellenistic period)
Historical Significance: This remarkably well-preserved coin circulated during a pivotal period when Roman influence was expanding throughout Gaul, eventually leading to Caesar's conquest in the 50s BCE. Massalia maintained its Greek character and independent coinage even as Celtic and Roman influences grew in the region. The city initially allied with Rome against neighboring Celtic tribes but later supported Pompey against Caesar, resulting in its capture in 49 BCE. The excellent quality of this coin reflects Massalia's prosperity as a trading center connecting Mediterranean commerce with the Celtic interior of Gaul.
This silver drachm was produced in Massalia (modern Marseille, France), a Greek colony in southern Gaul (France) during the 2nd-1st centuries BCE. Founded around 600 BCE by Greek settlers from Phocaea, Massalia developed into a major Mediterranean trading port that maintained Greek cultural traditions in the Celtic world. This coin represents the economic vitality of this important cultural crossroads where Greek and Celtic civilizations met and influenced each other.
Coin Description:
Front side: The obverse depicts Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt and protector of Massalia, likely shown in profile wearing a wreath or diadem, reflecting standard Greek artistic conventions.
Back side: The reverse features a lion advancing (walking), a symbol associated with Massalia's coinage for centuries, potentially with inscriptions or additional symbols in the field.
Technical Details:
Silver composition (AR)
Drachm denomination (standard Greek silver coin, smaller than a tetradrachm)
Weight: Approximately 2.7-3.5 grams
Size: Approximately 15-18mm in diameter
Strike Quality: 4/5 (excellent strike quality with sharp details)
Surface Quality: 4/5 (excellent surface preservation with minimal issues)
Date of minting: 2nd-1st centuries BCE (late Hellenistic period)
Historical Significance: This remarkably well-preserved coin circulated during a pivotal period when Roman influence was expanding throughout Gaul, eventually leading to Caesar's conquest in the 50s BCE. Massalia maintained its Greek character and independent coinage even as Celtic and Roman influences grew in the region. The city initially allied with Rome against neighboring Celtic tribes but later supported Pompey against Caesar, resulting in its capture in 49 BCE. The excellent quality of this coin reflects Massalia's prosperity as a trading center connecting Mediterranean commerce with the Celtic interior of Gaul.
This silver drachm was produced in Massalia (modern Marseille, France), a Greek colony in southern Gaul (France) during the 2nd-1st centuries BCE. Founded around 600 BCE by Greek settlers from Phocaea, Massalia developed into a major Mediterranean trading port that maintained Greek cultural traditions in the Celtic world. This coin represents the economic vitality of this important cultural crossroads where Greek and Celtic civilizations met and influenced each other.
Coin Description:
Front side: The obverse depicts Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt and protector of Massalia, likely shown in profile wearing a wreath or diadem, reflecting standard Greek artistic conventions.
Back side: The reverse features a lion advancing (walking), a symbol associated with Massalia's coinage for centuries, potentially with inscriptions or additional symbols in the field.
Technical Details:
Silver composition (AR)
Drachm denomination (standard Greek silver coin, smaller than a tetradrachm)
Weight: Approximately 2.7-3.5 grams
Size: Approximately 15-18mm in diameter
Strike Quality: 4/5 (excellent strike quality with sharp details)
Surface Quality: 4/5 (excellent surface preservation with minimal issues)
Date of minting: 2nd-1st centuries BCE (late Hellenistic period)
Historical Significance: This remarkably well-preserved coin circulated during a pivotal period when Roman influence was expanding throughout Gaul, eventually leading to Caesar's conquest in the 50s BCE. Massalia maintained its Greek character and independent coinage even as Celtic and Roman influences grew in the region. The city initially allied with Rome against neighboring Celtic tribes but later supported Pompey against Caesar, resulting in its capture in 49 BCE. The excellent quality of this coin reflects Massalia's prosperity as a trading center connecting Mediterranean commerce with the Celtic interior of Gaul.
