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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Pavlos, post: 4538771, member: 96635&quot;]The city of Gortyn, laying in the south of the Greek island of Crete, was one of the oldest and strongest cities in Crete during ancient history, and in constant competition (sometimes they shook hands) with Knossos. </p><p><br /></p><p><img src="https://www.interkriti.org/dbsf/pages_pics/15/1509001/odeum05.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><i>The polis of Gortyn</i></p><p><br /></p><p>During the Hellenistic times, Gortyn still mainly used silver coins and it&#039;s fractions. Until around 250 BC the Gortynians decided to introduce bronze coins for the first time. They stopped producing all small denomination silver fractions (obols) and moved to token bronze coins, apparently with the same fiduciary value as the previous mentioned silver obols. </p><p>The use of these bronze coins was imposed by the law, and using the old silver obols was strictly forbidden. An interesting text from Gortyn explains the new decision:</p><p><br /></p><p><i>&quot;Gods. This was decided by the polis after a vote, with 300 men being present. People must use the bronze coinage issued by the polis, and no one is to accept the silver obols. If anyone accepts silver obols, or refuses to accept the bronze coinage, or sells anything in exchange of grain, he will be fined five silver staters&quot;. (Austin 2006)</i></p><p><br /></p><p>It is interesting to note that it seems quite common for low level transactions to still be performed in grain, rather than money.</p><p><br /></p><p>And hereby one of the first bronze coins from Gortyn:</p><p><img src="https://i.imgur.com/LkgRwVy.jpg" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /> </p><p><b>Crete, Gortyna. AE Bronze. Circa 245-221 B.C.</b></p><p><b>Obverse:</b> Diademed head of Artemis right, bow and quiver over shoulder.</p><p><b>Reverse:</b> ΓΟΡΤΥΝΙΩΝ Bull standing left, his head turned back to right; all within wreath.</p><p><b>Reference</b>: BMC 63. Jackson pl. 12, 5. Joy 465. SNG Copenhagen 458. Svoronos, Numismatique 107.</p><p>11,02g; 25mm</p><p><br /></p><p>On the obverse the Cretan Artemis can be seen. She was worshiped in some parts of the island under the names of Britomartis and Diktynna, and appears to have been a native goddess of hunters and fishermen, having also perhaps, a lunar character. She was more or less assimilated to the Hellenic Artemis, and is represented as Artemis on the coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>Please share your coins from Crete, coins with Artemis and coins with a bull![/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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