circa 420-380 BCE
AR 0.63g 9mm
Obv: Bearded head of Herakles in lion skin headdress left.
Rev: ΔΙΟ (counterclockwise) around Kantharos.
BCD Akarnania 410 var. (Head of Herakles right, legend clockwise); HGC 4, 747 var. (same)
Alyzeia was well known in antiquity for its connection to Herakles, who is depicted on the obverse of this coin. In 320 BCE, the famed painter Lysippos created a series of paintings that portrayed the trials of Herakles. These were eventually carried away to Rome. The city also contained a sanctuary dedicated to Herakles.
About 15 stade from the city was its port, which helped it prosper – as evidenced by their ability to mint silver coins such as this one.
The ruins still stand and we can see that the walls were three kilometers long and had at least nineteen towers and four gates. Some of the site today is submerged.
Strabo believed the town was named after Ayzeos, who was a son of Ikarios and reigned over Akarnania with his brother Leukadios, who I presume named Leukas.
Both Thukydides and Xenophon mentioned Alyzeia as the site of a naval battle between Athens and Sparta in 375 BCE. The Athenians erected a trophy in Alyzeia.
The Athenian general Demosthenes takes aboard heavy infantry from Zakynthos and Kephallenia (likely including Same) and crosses over to the opposite coast of Akarnania to Alyzeia and Anaktorion, already held by Athens.
Naval battle is fought near Alyzeia between Athenians under Timotheos and Spartans under Nikolochos.
Lysippos creates relief metopes depicting Hercules’ trials for Alyzeia.
Cicero arrives at Alyzeia and writes a letter to his friend Tiro.