BCE 0400 - 0350 THRACE, Abdera. c. 400–350 BCE. AE 15. Griffin Recumbent on Club / Apollo Head in Square.
Description
Abdera Bronze with Griffin and Apollo (c. 400–350 BCE)
Thrace
This bronze coin was struck by the city of Abdera in Thrace during the late Classical period, a time when Greek cities along the northern Aegean coast balanced regional trade with strong local identities. The obverse depicts a griffin resting upon a club, a powerful symbol combining vigilance and strength. The griffin was Abdera’s civic emblem and was closely associated with Apollo, the city’s principal deity.
On the reverse appears the head of Apollo, framed within a square border and surrounded by the name of the magistrate responsible for the issue. The formal framing emphasizes civic order and administrative authority, while the portrait reinforces the city’s religious affiliations. Coins such as this circulated widely in daily transactions, embedding civic and religious symbolism into ordinary economic life. Today, Abdera’s bronzes offer insight into how Greek poleis used imagery to assert identity and continuity during a period of political change.
