Illyrian Silver Drachm

In about 600 B.C. the Greek city of Corinth sent colonists up the coast to Illyria (which roughly corresponds to the modern Balkans) to create a city for trade. These Greek colonists prospered and spread but by the 3rd Century B.C. they needed the Romans to stop the Ardiaei pirates from plundering their cities & trade routes. This lead to three Illyrian Wars between 229-168 B.C. and after this the area came under Roman protection. From about 200 B.C. two cities in the area, Apollonia & Dyrrachium (Epidamnos) started to mint these Greek silver drachm coins for use in trade. On the obverse they a fertility symbol of a cow suckling a calf. On the reverse a double geometric pattern which scholars think is a schematic representation of the two stars of the Dioscuri. They grade Very Fine and continued to be struck until the arrival of Julius Caesar in 48 B.C. stopped the production. These will make great additions to any collection or an exciting present!