Didrachm

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The didrachm, meaning “two drachmas” in Greek, was a silver coin widely used in ancient Greece and its colonies. It emerged as a significant denomination during the Archaic and Classical periods of Greek coinage, serving both as a medium of local commerce and a tool for international trade. The didrachm provides a fascinating lens through which to study the evolution of Greek coinage and the economic dynamics of the ancient Mediterranean world.

Over time, the prominence of the didrachm declined in favor of other denominations, such as the tetradrachm (four drachmas) and smaller fractional coins. The tetradrachm’s larger size and higher value made it more suitable for large-scale transactions and international trade, while smaller coins met the needs of everyday commerce. By the Hellenistic period (323–31 BCE), the didrachm had largely fallen out of common use, though it persisted in some regions, including the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire.