bgr_286741 - IONIA - TEOS Hemidrachme

IONIA - TEOS

(2nd - 1st century BC)

Teos was a very old city that its inhabitants abandoned in 544 BC, when the Persians invaded Ionia, to go and found Abdera in Thrace. Less than 50 years later, settlers from Abdera refounded the city of Asia Minor, which explains why both cities had griffins on their coins. Teos was renowned for its Ionic order temple built by Hermogenes and dedicated to Dionysus. Teos joined the Attico-Delian league in 478 BC. Tributary of Athens, its coinage was suppressed in 449 BC. Teos revolted in 412 BC against the Athenian yoke, recovered its independence and its coinage. The coinage lasted until the 1st century BC..