I ran my second Spartan super yesterday (8-10 miles with around 30 obstacles). Don't think the irony of "running a Spartan" isn't lost on me. Spartans don't run. They came back with their shield or on it! Anyway, this post isn't about bragging (well, not entirely) but rather when I crossed the finish line the medal for this year's event had a really cool look. So I thought I would share. I mean, what is a medal but a big coin that you busted your butt for!? I thought it was a substantial upgrade from the design from the one I earned back in 2015: Please share any medals, Spartan money or anything you deem relevant!
Congrats!! As you probably know, coins from Sparta-- when Sparta was Sparta-- are rare and expensive. This coin is from far after their heyday. LACONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta) 80-50 BCE AR triobol, 2.29 gm Obv: Head of Herakles right Rev: Amphora; to each side, caps of the Dioscuri; all within laurel wreath Ref: BCD Peloponnesos 868
Thanks! I had read that the REAL Spartans didn't have coinage but traded bronze rods. I have since seen their coins and you're correct. Cheap they ain't! Beautiful late Spartan coin!!
Congrats, well deserved Ryro. Spartans did use Iron as payment iron spits and bars. Not a big success ,their economy never grew big. 4 known , 3 are in Museum collections:
Oh, right... I forgot to link that article about Spartan coinage: https://www.coinworld.com/news/world-coins/2016/02/sparta-and-its-coinage-ancients-today.all.html
Probably most common but still long after the heyday are AR triobols from the time Sparta was in the Achaean League. Mine came dated 196-146 BC but I have seen similar coins listed as 85 BC which is quite a spread of opinions. The iron spit currency story explains the lack of specimens (they rusted) but I believe the Classic Spartans used the coinage of neighboring allies and subservient cities. If your collection wants a Spartan coin to display next to your Athenian owl, consider using a Sikyon, or a Corinth, or a Thebes. Obviously the best choice would be one of each. Right??? If you want to find the true enemy that defeated Athens, you might consider the Plague that struck the city in 430 BC and continued for about 15 years killing much of the population and weakening the remaining efforts against the Spartan allies ending in 405 BC. Experts differ in their opinions on the disease name but the symptoms were recorded by Thucydides who survived it. I do not recommend adding the candidate germs to your collection.
Congrats on the accomplishment! You really should get yourself some Spartan coinage now . LAKONIA, Lakedaimon (Sparta) AE. 5.7g, 20.3mm. C. Julius Eurycles as hegemon, circa 31-7 BC. RPC 1103; BMC 63. O: Head of Zeus right. R: Club; Λ-A/EΠI EY/PY-K(ΛE)/O-Σ in four lines across field; all within wreath. C. Julius Eurycles was a Spartan commander whose father had been put to death by Mark Antony. When Eurycles fought at the Battle of Actium in support of Octavian, it’s said he pursued a fleeing Antony more fervently than any others and that his ship drew close enough to yell taunts at him. Eurycles was subsequently made ruler of Sparta, which remained a free and autonomous city, with its territories enlarged at the expense of cities that had not supported Octavian.
My mistake. I'm used to seeing the period before the cents and I read that price as sixty one dollars and twenty cents but I should have thought about it a little more!
I just recently purchased some archaic Spartan iron rod currency off of eBay for only 125 Euro, so I'm not sure why people say Spartan coinage is so expensive. Sure, shipping was about x5 the cost, but the Spanish seller assured me that it was 100% authentic. I just can't return it.
