Description:
This coin was minted in the city of Myra, in the region of Lycia along the Mediterranean Sea in present-day southern Turkey. Situated on the river Myros, close to the sea, Myra was an important town and the principal mint for the district of Masikytes. Lycia was originally settled in the Bronze Age and by the 6th century BC fell under Persian control. In 333 BC, Alexander the Great defeated the Persians here and the Greek Macedonians rapidly Hellenized Lycia. After the Romans defeated the Greek King Antiochus III the Great in 188 BC, Lycia became a Roman protectorate but with great autonomy. The Lycian League of independent city-states was formed in 168 BC. This was the first such democratic union in history and the league remained strong in spite of the mountainous terrain, invasions of foreign powers and attempts of tyrants to take power.
The obverse side of this Lycian League coin features the head of Apollo wearing a tainia headband. In Greek mythology, Apollo was a very important Olympian deity and was also seen as the most beautiful god. He was the patron god of archers, the god of light and the sun, truth and prophecy, music, poetry and the arts. Apollo was the son of Zeus and as the patron of Delphi, Apollo was the prophetic deity of the Delphic Oracle. Medicine and healing were associated with Apollo and he was seen as a god who had the ability to cure.
The reverse shows a kithara, which was a Greek string instrument similar to a small harp. The kithara was believed to have been the invention of Apollo and he is often depicted in Greek art playing a kithara.
