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Diobol
| Issuer | Akragas |
|---|---|
| Year | 410 BC - 406 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Litra |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Log in to see details |
| Orientation | Log in to see details |
| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | Facing crab with prominent claws raised symmetrically, rendered in detailed relief with clearly articulated legs extending to either side; below, a dolphin leaping left occupies the lower field. The design is set within a plain circular border, and the entire composition reflects the distinctive civic iconography of Akragas. No legend is present on the reverse. |
| Reverse script | Log in to see details |
| Reverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Edge | Plain |
| Mint | Log in to see details |
| Mintage | Log in to see details |
| Additional information |
Akragas — the wealthiest city in the Greek west by most ancient accounts — struck gold only under extreme duress. This issue dates to the final years before the city's destruction by Carthage in 406 BC, when the threat of siege forced the treasury into emergency coinage. The gold itself likely came from melted dedications or temple reserves rather than any established bullion supply.
The city was never rebuilt to its former scale. These pieces represent one of the last acts of a mint that would not meaningfully operate again for generations.