Hemidrachm - 91st-94th Olympiad

Olympia's coinage was tied directly to the quadrennial festival cycle, with hemidrachms like this one struck specifically to facilitate transactions during the Games rather than for general monetary circulation. The 91st through 94th Olympiads span one of the most turbulent periods in Greek history — the catastrophic Sicilian Expedition of 415–413 BC devastated Athenian power, and the final Olympiad in this range coincides almost exactly with Athens' surrender to Sparta in 404 BC. That Olympia continued striking coinage through this upheaval reflects the sanctuary's carefully maintained neutrality.