Achaemenid coinage
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Achaemenid_coinage".

The coinage of the Achaemenid Empire was a continuation of the coins of Lydia. Coins were issued from 520 BCE-450 BCE to 330 BCE for the Daric and Siglos. And it seems that before then, a continuation of Lydian coinage under Persian rule is highly likely .

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Daric

Darius first introduced a reformed currency system at about 520-480, the precise period is debatable. The rate of exchange was 1 Daric = 20 Siglos. It consisted of a Daric of between 8.10-8.50 grams in weight and based on the Babylonian shekel of 8.33 grams. The purity was between 98-99% gold.

After the capture of Babylon by Alexander the Satrap Mazaios issued the double Daric of 16.65 grams in weight whose image was based on the Daric coin and bore his name until his death in 328 BCE. 1 Daric = 25 Attic Drachmae.

Siglos

Siglos is 5.40-5.60 grams each, but is based on the 0.5 Lydian Siglos of 10.73-10.92 grams for the full unit. Purity was at first issue 97-98% but by the middle 4th century was 94-95%. 1 Siglos = 7.5 Attic Obols

Archaeological finds

Daric coins have been found in Asia Minor, Greece, Macedonia and Italy. The Siglos denomination have been found in hoards only in Asia Minor, and single coins with other Greek coinage from Ancient Egypt to Afghanistan and Pakistan, making it an important issue for the region.

See also

References and external links

Retrieved on 18 February 2006.
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