Minted Mythology: Coins of the Twelve Olympians

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At the center of Greek mythology stands the Twelve Olympians. Ruling over everything from the sky to the sea, these gods and goddesses are the primary deities of ancient Greek religion. When these figures are depicted on coinage, mythology and history combine in a way that intrigues both experienced and new collectors alike. Here are some interesting coins featuring the Twelve Olympians.

Zeus: Alexander the Great Drachm

Zeus, the king of the gods and god of the sky, is featured on the Alexander the Great drachm. The obverse of this silver coin depicts Alexander III, commonly known as Alexander the Great, as the Greek hero Heracles. On this coin, Alexander wears the Nemean lion’s skin on his head. The reverse shows Zeus sitting on a throne, with an eagle in his right hand and a scepter in his left. Eagles are a common symbol of Zeus and are often depicted on both ancient Greek and Roman coinage. 

Hera: Elis Olympia Stater

Olympia, home to the original Olympic Games, was located within the ancient Greek city-state Elis. This region often produced coins depicting the gods to commemorate the Olympics. The obverse of this coin features Hera, queen of the gods and goddess of marriage, wearing a headband decorated with a lily. Lilies are a symbol of Hera and are often associated with motherhood. The reverse of this coin depicts an eagle, likely due to Hera’s marriage to Zeus. 

Poseidon: Bronze Aes

As god of the sea, Poseidon was revered in coastal areas. Minted in Syracuse, a Greek city in Sicily, the obverse of this coin features Poseidon wearing a diadem. The reverse depicts a trident, the weapon of Poseidon, with dolphins on either side. 

Hermes: Diobol

Serving as messenger of the gods, Hermes is also the god of thieves, travel, and luck. This silver coin is a diobol, which is worth two obols. The reverse of this coin portrays Hermes wearing a petasus, which is a type of wide-brimmed traveling hat. In many depictions, Hermes’s petasus has wings. The reverse of this coin shows a goat, which is likely due to Hermes’s association with animal husbandry.

Aphrodite: Triobol 

As the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite is often depicted with doves. Worth three obols, this coin depicts a chimera on the obverse. The chimera is a mythological monster with heads of a lion and goat and a serpent tail. The reverse of this coin shows a dove in flight. Doves are considered sacred animals of Aphrodite due to their associations with peace and love.

Hephaestus: Denarius   

Hephaestus and his Roman equivalent Vulcan are very similar. Both Hephaestus and Vulcan are gods of the forge and serve as the blacksmiths of the gods. Hephaestus is not featured on coins as often as other Olympians. This could be because Hephaestus is considered to be the “ugliest” god, which may make him an unpopular subject to depict on a coin. The obverse of this coin features a Roman goddess, while the reverse features Vulcan’s cap, along with blacksmithing tools, such as an anvil, tongs, and a hammer.   

Artemis & Apollo: Tetradrachm

Twin Olympians Artemis and Apollo are associated with the moon and the sun, respectively. The obverse of this coin depicts Artemis, the goddess of the hunt, wearing a headband and carrying a bow and quiver of arrows over her shoulder. The reverse shows Apollo, god of music, healing, and prophecy holding laurel branches and leaning on a tripod.

Demeter: Stater

Demeter, goddess of the harvest and agriculture, was worshiped to ensure successful crop growth and bountiful harvests. This coin features the goddess wearing a barley wreath and jewelry on the obverse. The reverse depicts an ear of grain. Grain is often associated with Demeter due to its importance as a crop.  

Athena: Tetradrachm

As the goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, Athena was revered and loved by the Greeks. In fact, Athena was so respected that Athens was named after her, and she was considered to be the patron goddess of the city. The obverse of this coin depicts Athena wearing a helmet. The reverse shows an owl, a well-known symbol of the goddess. The reverse also contains the letters ΑΘΕ, which is an abbreviation for the word ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΝ, which translates to “of the Athenians.” 

Ares: Denarius

War god Ares is often depicted as destructive and violent. Unlike his sister Athena, who represents the tactical side of war, Ares is associated with bloodshed. Because of this, the Greeks were more devoted to Athena, and revered her far more than her brother. However, Ares’s Roman counterpart, Mars, represents military prowess as opposed to brutality. Because of this, Mars was worshiped and beloved by the Romans. This Roman coin depicts Mars wearing a crested helmet on the obverse. The reverse shows two carnyces, or Celtic war trumpets, with two shields between them.

Dionysus: Tetradrachm

It is debated whether Dionysus, the god of wine and madness, or Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, should be considered one of the Twelve Olympians. In certain modern interpretations, Hestia yields her seat on Mount Olympus to Dionysus, although this version of the story is not found in many ancient sources. This coin depicts Dionysus riding a donkey while holding a drinking cup. The reverse shows a grape vine, a symbol commonly associated with him.  

Conclusion

Researching and purchasing coins depicting the Olympians is a great way for new collectors to begin their ancient coin collections due to the popularity of mythology and the prevalence of Greek gods on ancient pieces.