Athena Pendant

This Heraclean coin displays the classic Corinthian design featuring Athena on the obverse, adorned with a Corinthian helmet. The helmet's beautifully detailed Scylla motif and striking plume enhance the goddess's bold appearance.

In Greek mythology and religion, Athena represents wisdom, courage, justice, and strategic warfare. She was widely worshipped but is primarily associated with Athens, to which she gave her name. Her emergence as the city goddess, Athena Polias, accompanied the ancient city-state’s transition from monarchy to democracy, as she was the embodiment of practical reason and statecraft.

Heraclea began minting coins to the Achaian standard shortly after its foundation. Athena on the obverse pays homage to its Ionic, Athenian, heritage, while the reverse reflects the Dorian influence of the Tarantines, showcasing Heracles (Hercules) in dynamic combat with the mythological Nemean lion, the first of his twelve Labours. This exquisitely detailed depiction of Heracles, shown nude and battling the lion, serves as a powerful emblem of the city's strength and resilience.

Approximately 2,700 years ago, as ancient Greece faced dwindling farmland, large populations migrated to Sicily and Southern Italy, a region known as Magna Graecia. While most cities were established during the early settlement period around 700-600 B.C., Heraclea was founded around 430 B.C. as a strategic compromise between the Athenians and the Tarantines, who were both vying for control of the nearby city of Siris.

• Coin Ø 20-22mm

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Each ancient coin and artefact used in our jewellery has been restored and professionally stabilised to ensure it can be enjoyed for lifetimes. Patina, the natural toning and oxidation on silver, bronze, and copper coins, is not dirt; it is a protective layer formed over hundreds of years, adding to the coin’s unique history. Conservation efforts aim to stabilise and preserve these valuable patinas whenever possible. Silver naturally tones over time, developing a soft to deep grey with brighter highlights on raised surfaces. This toning is highly coveted, adding a touch of age and beauty to the coin’s details that only time can provide.

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