Kolophon was one of the earliest Greek cities to adopt coinage, and its fractional silver series — of which this tetartemorion is among the smallest denominational units — was produced during a period when the city still commanded significant economic influence over the Ionian coast. That influence collapsed after 409 BC when Kolophon was absorbed into the Persian-backed Median sphere, making issues from the later end of this date range considerably scarcer in the archaeological record.
Kolophon was one of the earliest Greek cities to adopt coinage, and its fractional silver series — of which this tetartemorion is among the smallest denominational units — was produced during a period when the city still commanded significant economic influence over the Ionian coast. That influence collapsed after 409 BC when Kolophon was absorbed into the Persian-backed Median sphere, making issues from the later end of this date range considerably scarcer in the archaeological record.