Item number: A1590

Year: 412-378 BC

Material: Electrum (Gold with Silver)

Size: 9.8 x 9.2 x 4.3 mm

Weight: 2.5 g

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2016

This is a 1/6 stater issued between 412 and 378 BC by the ancient Greek polis of Mytilene, located on the southeastern side of Lesbos, near Asia Minor. The coin is composed of electrum, a naturally occurring gold-silver alloy.

The coin is notably small. On the obverse, it features a right-facing portrait of the goddess Athena wearing a Corinthian helmet. The reverse depicts a right-facing portrait of the Cybele goddess, the earth deity introduced to the Greek world from Phrygia in Asia Minor, enclosed within a rectangular incuse square.

The history of Mytilene dates to the 7th century BC, during which it became a major provider of currency for international trade. Much of the electrum circulating in Asia Minor originated from Mytilene. One of the city’s most well-known historical events occurred during the Peloponnesian War (428–427 BC) when Mytilene led a revolt against the Delian League, dominated by Athens. However, the rebellion was ultimately suppressed by an Athenian expeditionary force. Initially, the Athenian assembly voted in favour of executing all Mytilenean men and selling the women and children into slavery, but this decision was reconsidered and revoked the following day.

物件編號: A1590

年代: 公元前 412-378 年

材質: 琥珀金

尺寸: 9.8 x 9.2 x 4.3 mm

重量: 2.5 g

來源: 福君錢幣 2016

這是公元前412至378年間，靠近小亞細亞的萊斯沃斯島東南側之古希臘城邦米蒂利尼，發行之1/6斯塔特，其材質為天然合成的金銀合金「琥珀金」。

錢幣的尺寸十分嬌小，正面是頭戴科林斯式頭盔的女神雅典娜右側肖像。錢幣背面的矩形方框內，是從小亞細亞一側的佛里幾亞人傳入希臘世界的大地女神，戴著高冠的希栢利女神右側肖像。

米蒂利尼的歷史能追溯到公元前7世紀，從那時候就是國際貿易重要的貨幣提供者，許多在小亞細亞地區流通的琥珀金便是來自米蒂利尼。米蒂利尼最知名的事蹟是公元前428至427年在伯羅奔尼撒戰爭期間，米蒂利尼發起一場被叛雅典為首的提洛同盟，不過最後卻遭到雅典遠征軍的鎮壓。原先雅典民眾以投票的方式，主張要殺光米蒂利尼的男丁和把婦孺販售為奴隸，但是在隔天卻打消了這個念頭。