bga_552117 - MASSALIA - MARSEILLES Obole MA, tête à gauche

MASSALIA - MARSEILLE

(220-49 BC)

The resumption of the minting of drachmas takes place at the time of the Second Punic War (221-202 AC.). Marseille, a faithful ally of Rome, often provided ships and fought against the Carthaginian fleet. During this period, the minting of the obol stopped but the production of drachmas was very important. To replace the small silver coins that had disappeared, people began to mint bronze. Claude Brenot indicated in 1980 that Marseille adopted the Corinthian standard for this drachma (the particular weight of the Corinthian stater is approximately 8.64 g, divided into 3 and not 2 drachmas), which gives an average weight of 2.88 g for the Marseilles light drachma. This Corinthian drachma also corresponds to the reduced Campanian or Italo Tarentine drachma.