Hellenistic Drachm of Heraclea Issued by Demetrius I, Soter

152 BCE-151 BCE

1 in. (diameter) x 3/16 in. (2.5 cm x 0.5 cm)

This object has the following keywords:

• Anatolian - Refers to the culture and styles that developed in antiquity in the geographical area of modern Turkey.
• bronze - Refers to a broad range of alloys of copper, specifically any non-ferrous alloy of copper, tin, and zinc or other trace metals. Bronze was made before 3,000 BCE -- possibly as early as 10,000 BCE, although its common use in tools and decorative items is dated only in later artifacts. The proportions of copper and tin vary widely, from 70 to 95 percent copper in surviving ancient artifacts. Because of the copper base, bronze may be very malleable and easy to work. By the Middle Ages in Europe, it was recognized that using the metals in certain proportions could yield specific properties. Some modern bronzes contain no tin at all, substituting other metals such as aluminum, manganese, and even zinc. Historically, the term was used interchangeably with "latten." U.S. standard bronze is composed of 90% copper, 7% tin and 3% zinc. Ancient bronze alloys sometimes contained up to 14% tin.
• drachmas - Small, silver Greek coins originally equivalent to six obols and issued from the 6th century BCE; usage continued by the Parthians and Sassanians until the 7th century CE.
• Hellenistic - Refers to the ancient Greek period, culture, and art of ancient Greece that lasted from about 330 BCE to 31 BCE, when Augustus defeated Cleopatra and Mark Antony. It is characterized by an international culture that was ushered in by Alexander the Great's conquest of India, Egypt, and the Near East. In architecture and art, the style is marked by greater sophistication, complexity, and diversity than was known in earlier Greek styles. Architecture diverges from strict rules of earlier periods. Sculptors emphasized more realistic figures in a greater variety of poses than in earlier Greek art.
• tripods - Refers generally to three-legged supports of any kind. The word may be applied variously to objects such as stools, tables, light stands, stands for cameras, or pedestals. Ancient, antique, or classical forms are associated with religious or symbolic altars, or sacrificial vessels. The seat of the Delphic oracle was in the form of a tripod.