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Drachm with cross, early series with dolphins wicks in balled commas, axe and globules
| Issuer | Volcæ Tectosages (Gallia Narbonensis) |
|---|---|
| Year | 230 BC - 160 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Drachm (1) |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse description | A broad saltire cross divides the reverse field into four quarters, its arms extending nearly to the coin's edge in characteristic Volcae Tectosages style. In the upper and left quarters, large globular pellets are placed, while the lower quarter features a schematized axe depicted in profile. The right quarter contains an additional pellet. The overall composition reflects the degenerated cross-and-pellet motif derived from earlier Massaliot prototypes, reduced to bold geometric and symbolic elements. |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
The Volcae Tectosages occupied territory centered on Tolosa (modern Toulouse) and were among the wealthier Celtic tribes of southern Gaul, largely because they sat on an ancient trade corridor linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Their silver coinage drew directly from Massaliote drachm prototypes — the Greek colony at Massalia (Marseille) functioned as the monetary template for most of Narbonensian Gaul. What makes this early series distinctive is the progressive abstraction of those borrowed Greek elements into a visual language that is recognizably local.
The dolphin wicks rendered as balled commas are a chronological marker: they appear in the earliest die sequences before further stylization collapses them into near-unrecognizable forms in later issues.