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Drachm
| Issuer | Olbia (Skythia) |
|---|---|
| Year | 280 BC - 270 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Rhodian drachm |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | A dolphin swims horizontally to the left across the central field, its body rendered with naturalistic detail including a clearly defined eye and tail flukes. The Greek legend ΟΛΒΙΟ appears in the upper field above the dolphin, and ΔΗΜΗ is inscribed in the lower field below, together reading as an abbreviated reference to the Olbian demos. The composition is bold and well-centred, reflecting the civic pride of this important Greek emporion on the Pontic steppe. |
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| Reverse lettering | ΟΛΒΙΟ ΔΗΜΗ |
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| Additional information |
Olbia, the Greek colonial city at the mouth of the Hypanis (modern Bug) river, occupied an awkward position in the third century BC — squeezed between the declining reach of Macedonian successor power and the persistent pressure of Scythian tribes controlling the steppe hinterland. These drachms were struck during a period when the city maintained nominal independence, funding its own defenses and diplomacy without the backing of any major Hellenistic kingdom.
The Anokhin sequence places this issue within a tightly dated span, distinguishable from earlier Olbian silver by subtle die progression documented in the SNG Stancomb material.