Description:
This coin was minted in the Hellenistic city of Pergamon, which was located in modern-day Western Turkey. This historic city became the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon under the Attalid dynasty, which was founded by King Philetairos, who ruled Pergamon from 282-263 BC. Over the following 150 years, this Greek city-state grew in power and controlled much of Western Asia Minor. The Attalids ruled with intelligence and generosity while the Greek cities in this kingdom maintained a level of independence.
Pergamon was one of the great cultural centers of the Greek world, home to the Temple of Dionysus and the Acropolis of Pergamon, which was modeled after the Acropolis in Athens. The city’s theater had a seating capacity of 10,000, with the steepest seating of any known theater in the ancient world.
Athena, the favorite child of the king of the gods Zeus, is featured on this 3rd century BC Pergamon coin wearing a crested helmet. She was the Greek goddess of wisdom, peace, warfare, strategy, handicrafts and reason. An armed warrior goddess, Athena appears in Greek mythology as a helper of many heroes, including Odysseus, Jason and Hercules.
The reverse side of this ancient coin shows Asclepius seated while he is holding a scepter and feeding a coiled serpent. In ancient Greek religion, Asclepius was the god of medicine and healing.
