Achaia, Aigion
Faustina Junior. Augusta 147-175 CE
Struck under Marcus Aurelius and Commodus
Æ Assarion 22mm, 5.50g, 6h
Draped bust right /
Aphrodite, nude, standing facing, head right, drawing veil from face and covering herself with her right hand; to right, dolphin swimming downward.
Kroll 33.1 (this coin), RPC IV.1 Online 8104.1 (this coin), BCD Peloponnesos 449 (this coin), NCP, pl. R. XXIII (this coin)
Ex Kelly Ramage Collection
Ex BCD Collection (LHS 96, 8 May 2006), lot 449
Ex Ernest Griolet Collection (1819-1908)
Aigion was the capital of the Achaian League and its temple of Zeus Homarios (believed to mean “Zeus who unites”) was widely known. The city had been around for some time before the Achaian League, and was mentioned in Homer’s Catalog of Ships. In 373 BCE, the neighboring city of Helike, which has sometimes been associated with the lost city of Atlantis, collapsed into the sea. Aigion then took over the remainder of its territory, causing it to be for a time the leading city of Achaia. It stayed that way until Rome annexed it, then removed the city walls.
Today the city of Aigio occupies the site.
Neighboring city of Helike sinks into the sea, Aigion annexes its territory
Aigion comes under Macedon
Aigion joins the Achaian League. Aigion becomes its capital.
Aigion joins the Achaian League. Aigion becomes its capital.