circa 400-350 BCE
Hemiobol AR 7mm, 0,24g
Corinthian helmet right /
Tall, narrow amphora within wreath.
Apparently unpublished
Per mythology and Homer, Zakynthos was named after a son of King Dardanos of Arkadia, who founded the city. It was then conquered by Kefalonia and then by Odysseus himself from either Ithaka or Pale.
Zakynthos participated in the Peloponnesian War and signed an alliance with Athens, then was attacked and defended itself from Sparta. Zakynthos later joined Athens in the failed attack on Syracuse.
In ancient times, the island was an important source for tar.
Today, it is a major tourist attraction and we debated going there, but ultimately chose Kefalonia instead. Shipwreck Beach is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.
We’re not entirely sure whether this coin belongs to Zakynthos or somewhere in Asia Minor. The attribution originally came from a coin sold by CNG with the letters Z-A to either side. However, the Corinthian helmet doesn’t fit well since the city was an ally of Athens, not Corinth or even the Peloponnese. It would fit better with some parts of Asia Minor. Until there is a find spot, we won’t know for sure.