(Diobol)

Bee

MINTED: Circa 390-325 B.C.
MATERIAL: Silver
DIAMETER: 10mm

This silver diobol from Ionia, struck at Ephesus between circa 390–325 BC, embodies the civic identity and sacred symbolism of one of Asia Minor’s most important Greek cities. On the obverse appears a bee seen from above, an emblem closely associated with Ephesus and its patron deity, Artemis. The bee symbolised order, fertility, and communal harmony, and may also allude to the melissae, the priestesses who served the goddess at her great temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world.

The reverse depicts the confronted heads of two stags, animals sacred to Artemis and emblematic of her role as mistress of nature and wildlife. Their symmetrical opposition conveys balance and divine protection, reinforcing the religious authority of the city. Together, the bee and stags transform this small silver coin into a powerful statement of Ephesian identity, uniting civic pride, religious devotion, and artistic refinement in a compact and enduring form.