Athens, the Ancient Agora and Athena's Tetradrachm
The Web Page Author at the Agora, Site of the Athenian Mint.
Across the Agora from the Mint and below the Hephaisteion is another well-known, but infamous, site: The Royal Stoa. Here Socrates was condemned to death by the Royal Archon after accusation of impiety by Meletos in 399 BCE. In humble tribute to the great philosopher, my digital creation above integrates my photograph of the site with my modification of David's The Death of Socrates (from my photographs of the holdings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC). The coin presented below was the type used by Socrates himself. May he have held this very coin?
Silver Tetradrachm, 449-413 BCE. Obverse: Helmeted Head of Athena.
Reverse: Owl with Olive Branch, Crescent Moon, and "AOE". [SNG Copenhagen 31]
Q: Was this silver coin minted at the Athenian Mint pictured above?
A: Perhaps. To date there is evidence only for the production of bronze coinage at this site. [The Athenian Agora, Camp, 1990, p.162]