Didrachms of Cyrene (309-277 BC)
- The AR Didrachm from Cyrene is certified VF Condition by NGC
- This coin is a didrachm (worth 2 drachms) circa 308-277 BC
- The obverse shows Apollo-Carneius, a form of Apollo associated with the city of Cyrene, and the reverse shows the silphium plant, a highly sought-after herb in ancient times
Cyrene was a town on the North African coast immediately west of Egypt. Creek colonists founded Cyrene in 631 BC, and it later became a vitally important trading post between the Pheonicians to the west, Egypt to the east, and the Greek homeland to the north. The sandy environs of Cyrene played host to a wild-growing plant with yellow flowers called silphium. The Greeks ascribed nearly magical properties to both the plant itself and its sap.
Silphium had countless uses, including a salve for burns, a treatment for various ailments, a savory seasoning for food, and various properties associated with love and sex.
Silphium soon became Cyrene’s chief export and the region grew rich on demand for this do-everything plant. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder, writing in the first century AD, considered silphium to be worth its weight in silver denarii.
Ancient sources state that the Cyreneans found it impossible to cultivate on a large scale, but could only gather it from the fields where it grew wild. For about 500 years, this proved sufficient to meet the growing demand, but in the late Hellenistic and early Roman periods, over-harvesting and grazing by domesticated animals allegedly drove it to extinction. Pliny reported that the last known stalk of Cyrenean silphium was given to the Emperor Nero “as a curiosity.”
| Quantity | 1 |
|---|---|
| Description | Cyrene was a town on the North African coast immediately west of Egypt. Creek colonists founded Cyrene in 631 BC, and it later became a vitally important trading post between the Pheonicians to the west, Egypt to the east, and the Greek homeland to the north. The sandy environs of Cyrene played host to a wild-growing plant with yellow flowers called silphium. The Greeks ascribed nearly magical properties to both the plant itself and its sap. Silphium had countless uses, including a salve for burns, a treatment for various ailments, a savory seasoning for food, and various properties associated with love and sex. Silphium soon became Cyrene’s chief export and the region grew rich on demand for this do-everything plant. The Roman historian Pliny the Elder, writing in the first century AD, considered silphium to be worth its weight in silver denarii. Ancient sources state that the Cyreneans found it impossible to cultivate on a large scale, but could only gather it from the fields where it grew wild. For about 500 years, this proved sufficient to meet the growing demand, but in the late Hellenistic and early Roman periods, over-harvesting and grazing by domesticated animals allegedly drove it to extinction. Pliny reported that the last known stalk of Cyrenean silphium was given to the Emperor Nero “as a curiosity.” |
We're confident you will be satisfied with your purchase, but if not, you may return your item for a refund or exchange within 30 days of invoice date. Shipping and handling charges are non-refundable, and the product must be returned complete and in sellable condition to qualify for a refund. Refund amount will include full purchase price and all collected taxes.Seals and cases contribute to the value of coin and currency collectibles and must remain intact and unbroken. This applies, but is not limited to: grading cases, Mint and Proof cases and packages, bag seals, original government sealed packaging, certificates of authenticity and/or any other special packaging or containers. Customers are responsible for shipping charges and risk of loss on all return shipments. All returns must be shipped by a reputable shipper and be properly packaged and fully insured. Products returned after 30 days of shipping date are subject to a 20% restocking fee.
