Tetradrachm Depicting the God Dionysos
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
after 146 BCE
This object is a silver tetradrachm minted in Thasos, Thrace, dating to after 146 BCE. The coin has a diameter of 3.2 cm (1 5/16 in.) and features circular metallic flans bearing relief designs on both sides.
The obverse depicts the head of the god Dionysos facing right, crowned with an ivy wreath. The reverse shows the mythological hero Herakles standing and identified by his traditional attributes, including a knobby club and a lion's skin. Surrounding the figure of Herakles is a Greek inscription recorded as ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΘΑΣΙΩΝ followed by the letter M.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Historical context
Herakles, son of Zeus, was celebrated across Greece, South Italy, and by the Romans (as Hercules) as a heroic role model who attained immortality after completing his Twelve Labors. His attributes on the coin—a knobby club and lion's skin—evoke his First Labor, during which he strangled the beast of Nemea whose invincible hide resisted weapons, afterwards donning its pelt.
Physical characteristics
- Material
- Silver
- Dimensions
- Diam.: 3.2 cm (1 5/16 in.)
Technical characteristics
- Inscriptions
- Reverse: ΗΡΑΚΛΕΟΥΣ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ ΘΑΣΙΩΝ Μ
- Maker recorded
- Greek; minted in Thasos, Thrace
- Place recorded
- Thásos
Identification
- Source note
- Transcribed from the Art Institute of Chicago collection record for this single object; how far it represents a wider collectible type has not been independently verified.
- Museum object name
- Tetradrachm (Coin) Depicting the God Dionysos
- Museum object number
- 1923.1178
Documentation checklist
- Denomination
- Research required
- Issue or mint date
- Recorded
- Material
- Recorded
- Weight
- Research required
- Mint or printer
- Research required
- Mint or printer mark
- Research required
- Catalogue reference
- Research required
- Attached photograph (check rights)
- Recorded
Recorded means a field is present, not independently verified. Read its wording, supporting source and the entry’s confidence level.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.