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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;kaparthy, post: 3331702, member: 57463&quot;]I thought about that when I created the thread. And I do have a couple of &quot;others&quot; myself. For that matter, the definition of &quot;ancient&quot; includes anything up to the fall of Constatinople in 1453. And like the &quot;fall&quot; of Rome 1000 years earlier, it may be&nbsp; putative as well.</p><p><br /></p><p>My choices were intended to create a representative array, each one of which was evidence of some important aspect.</p><p><br /></p><p>1. Miletus 1/12 stater electrum c. 550 BCE.</p><p>Early, event-horizon coin near the creation of the medium in electrum from which evolved coins in silver</p><p>2. Miletus 1/12 stater silver c. 550 BCE.</p><p>and gold.</p><p>Miletus was important because it was from there that philosophy came to Athens. In the mid-500s, philosophy replaced religion for explanation of natural events, and eventually human conduct. (What we call &quot;the Socratic method&quot; they called &quot;the Milesian way.&quot;) Coins replaced cows. Merchants replaced farmers. Democracy replaced monarchy. Writing replaced public speaking. Mercenary hoplites replaced conscripted commoners. It was a long process and not complete or untextured, but still a watershed in the evolution of civilization.</p><p><br /></p><p>3. Abdera hemi-obol c. 480 BCE</p><p>Small silver from the time before bronze coins, also from the time and town of Democritus. As Carl Sagan said, &quot;He was from the Brooklyn of his day and he was no dummy.&quot;</p><p><br /></p><p>4. Athens Owl c. 450 BCE</p><p>I will not go on at length.</p><p><br /></p><p>5. Sinope &quot;Diogenes&quot; stater c. 400 BCE</p><p>This is a coin that I believe that I can identify with the philosopher.</p><p>[ATTACH]882866[/ATTACH] [ATTACH]882867[/ATTACH]</p><p>6. Alexander stater c. 300 BCE</p><p>Again, much could be said.</p><p><br /></p><p>7. Rhodes drachmon c. 280 BCE</p><p>They policed the eastern Mediterranean and made a business out of fighting pirates. Rhodes became an entrepôt. It was a center for learning, especially mathematics and astronomy. The geographers of Alexandria ran their Prime Meridian through Rhodes.&nbsp; Even after it was reduced by Rome, it&nbsp; was a center for learning. Julius Caesar was one of many who studied law there.</p><p><br /></p><p>8. Rome Mercury/Prow Sextens c. 211 BCE</p><p>Bronze. The Romans were practical and started with bronze money. I have many Mercury coins. Mercury was identified with the Greek Hermes and the Egyptian Thoth, but actually was inherited from the Etruscans. We still have an <b>inauguration</b> of our President, which was when the Romans brought Etruscan augurs to read entrails and predict good things to come.</p><p><br /></p><p>9. Rome Cato the Younger Quinarius</p><p>Eloquent republican narrative goes here...</p><p><br /></p><p>10. Rome Hadrian denarius</p><p>11. Rome Marcus Aurelius Sestertius</p><p>I actually chose these two from among the Five Good Emperors of the Pax Romana, and again, a bronze coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>12. Rome Julian the Apostate AE</p><p>Concluding with Roman bronze and a failed attempt to return to &quot;that olde tyme religione&quot; thus, closing the ancient world and opening the door to the Middle Ages, culturally.</p><p><br /></p><p>I could go on and on... but that&#039;s my story and I&#039;m sticking to it.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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