What reasonable assertions can you make about a civilization based on this artifact?

Front Side Back Side

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Coins of Corinth

(Identify Corinth on the map)

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Corinth was one of the largest cities in ancient Greece and a rival of Athens.

Why was Corinth such an

important and

powerful city-state?

The city controlled overland access to the Peloponnesus and to continental Greece, as well as the maritime ways to the East and West of the Mediterranean.

In time, Corinth started to create a string of daughter cities, or colonies.

All these cities followed Corinth's monetary system.

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What is a Colony?Def: a body of people who settle far from home but maintain ties with their homeland; inhabitants remain nationals of their home state but are not literally under the home state's system of government

Why would city-states

want to colonize?

In ancient times, island-dwelling people often colonized in order to support growing populations with additional farmland and resources.

“Coinage was essential to Corinth as an important commercial center….Corinth was one of the earliest cities in Greece to strike and use coins--in the 7th century B.C.”

~americanhistory.si.edu

Why were coins so important?

Thinkaboutthecolonies

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Who is depicted on the face of these coins?

The goddess Athena

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Who was Athena?

The Goddess of wisdom, war, the arts, industry, justice and skill. She was the favorite child of Zeus. She had sprung fully grown out of her father's head.

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These coins are tail-side up. Who is depicted

here?

Pegasus:the winged horse

Who was Pegasus?

A divine winged horse. His father was the god Poseidon.

What are the main differences between these two coins?

Why do you think these differences exist?

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The different symbols mean...• “The purpose of

these little symbols, in a great variety of shapes and figures, has long been inconclusively debated.”

• “These figures might only indicate common animals or objects, but they could also have a more mythological significance, such as animals or objects connected with certain divinities or cults.”

~americanhistory.si.edu

In your own words…

What can coins tell us about the geography, politics, economics, religions and social structures of a civilization?

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1. Wheel2. Gorythos, container for bows3. Eagle4. Dog5. Herme, border stone with head of Hermes on a pillar 6. Demeter with torch7. Cornucopiae8. Head of Hippocampus, mythical sea monster9. Shield10. Amphora and grapes

11. Dolphin and Rooster12. Statue of Dionysos with cantharus13. Nike with vase for incense14. Plough15. Boar16. Head of sun god Helios17. Head of griffin & dolphin18. Thyrsos, staff of Dionysos ending in a pine cone19. Astragalos, a knucklebone used for games or as religious symbol20. Corinthian helmet21. Club and Dolphin

The Imageshttp://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/corinth