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Hemidrachm
| Issuer | Thespiai |
|---|---|
| Year | 400 BC - 350 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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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 | The distinctive Boeotian shield rendered in high relief, depicted in facing view with the characteristic incurved cutouts on either side of the central boss. The shield's circular outline is strongly raised, and the concave field at center is deeply recessed, creating a bold sculptural effect typical of Boeotian federal and civic coinage of the early fourth century BC. The flan is irregular and slightly broader than the die, with the full design well centered. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Thespiai occupied an awkward position among Boeotian poleis — close enough to Thebes to be dominated by it politically, yet stubbornly independent enough to mint its own coinage rather than adopt the Boeotian federal issues. That tension came to a head in 371 BC when Thebes, flush from its victory at Leuctra, razed the city and expelled its population. Coins struck before that destruction represent the output of a functioning independent mint; those struck after reflect a partial recovery under conditions of Theban oversight.
The hemidrachm denomination was the workhorse of local exchange in this region, unlikely to travel far from Thespiai itself.