View reverse
of coin
Stater. Obverse: Poseidon
540-480 B.C.
Poseidonia, Lucania
Silver
Diameter - 28 mm; weight - 7.23 g
The next most significant deity after Zeus was undoubtedly
his brother, the god of the seas Poseidon. It is impossible to imagine
the life of the ancient Greeks without the sea. It was both the most
convenient way of travelling between the various parts of Greece, separated
from each other by mountains that were difficult to cross, and the source
of the Greeks' most common foodstuff - fish.
It is no coincidence that depictions of Poseidon made
an early appearance on the coins of the Greek cities. The sea was most
often perceived as a tempestuous and dangerous element. In the same
way its ruler appears on this coin from the Italian city of Poseidonia
in decisive, impetuous movement, energetically waving his formidable
trident. The god had only to strike the surface of the water with this
weapon for it to boil up into huge waves - and woe betide the sailors
caught in such a storm!
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