c. 4th-3rd century BCE
Æ 8mm, 1.02g, 12h
Laureate head of Apollo facing slightly l.
R/ Head of nymph r., hair in sakkos; prawn to r.
Ashton, The pre-imperial coinage of Iasos, NC 167 (2007), p. 53, pl. 7, 17-19
In ancient times, Iasos was actually a tiny island, only ten stadia in circumference (a stadia is roughly 600 feet). Like many cities in Caria, in bounced around between the Athenians, Persians, and Spartans. Since the port was very wealthy despite the island’s size, it was regularly targeted by all three.
Per legend, the city was a colony of Argos, though most archeologists believe it far older due to the presence of Mycenaean remains. The ruins are still visible and in decent condition.
The city is the legendary location for the story of Hermias and the dolphin. Because the city was so close to the sea, all of the kids were used to playing there. However, Hermias was an only child and his mother wouldn’t let him go. When the kids started to taunt him, the mother finally relented, but warned that he could not wade too far in.
So, the boys went to the shore and had fun, but when they gathered to go home, Hermias could not be found. A while later, a fisherman spotted Hermias riding a dolphin. However, when they reached the shore, both were dead.
There was ancient speculation that the dolphin accidentally killed Hermias while they were playing together, so it died too out of grief. Regardless, the local people did what most people did back then – they built a statue to commemorate it. We no longer have the statue, but we do have the story.
Some of Iasos’ coinage depicts the boy riding the dolphin, but not this one.