Art Institute of Chicago

Tetradrachm (Coin) Depicting the Goddess Athena

Greek

Date

196-187 BCE

Medium

Silver

Culture

Athens

Department

Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

The front of this coin depicts the goddess Athena Parthenos wearing a triple crested Athenian helmet, the decorative scheme of which includes a flying quadraped, palmettes and scrolls; trimmed with a flat band decorated with sunken squares. The cheek piece of the helmet is raised, revealing loose curls of hair on the goddess's neck and a pendant earring. A decorative border of dots is partially preserved. On the back an owl, another symbol of Athena, stands atop a vessel on its side. The scene is encircled by an olive wreath.

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