Silver Tetradrachm ca. 449&endash;410 BC Athens
29-126-404
The head of Athena is on the obverse, an owl
with olive branch on the reverse. The goddess (in Greek, Athena) is a punning
reference to the city (in Greek, Athenai) that honored her as its chief protective
deity. The owl was Athena's favorite bird and the olive, which was one of
the city's most lucrative exports, came in time to stand for Athens throughout
the Mediterranean world. Dia. 24.0 mm.
Top: Photo courtesy Registrar's Office, Univ. of Pennsylvania Museum. Bottom:
Photo courtesy Donald White.