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Hemiobol - 107th-108th Olympiad
| Issuer | Olympia |
|---|---|
| Year | 356 BC - 352 BC |
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| Currency | Drachm |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Diminutive head of a female deity, identified as Hera or a personification of Olympia, facing right, rendered in archaic-to-early classical style. The portrait is compact and schematic, consistent with the miniature scale of the hemiobol denomination. The hair is swept back from the face, with no visible diadem or wreath. The flan is irregular and the relief is bold relative to the coin's small size, with the head occupying most of the available field. |
|---|---|
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| Edge | Plain |
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| Additional information |
Issued at the Sanctuary of Zeus at Olympia, these tiny fractions served the practical needs of the festival economy — pilgrims, vendors, and sacrificial offerings all required small change that larger regional coinages couldn't efficiently provide. The 107th Olympiad in 356 BC coincided with one of the most consequential years in Greek history: the birth of Alexander the Great, Philip II's victory at Crocus Field, and the sack of Delphi by the Phocians — none of which slowed the machinery of the Games.
SNG Copenhagen 417 remains the standard reference for this fractional type, with very few institutional collections holding examples.