Diobol (Coin) Depicting an Ear of Grain
500-473 BCE
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Diam.: 1.3 cm (9/16 in.)
Classification
coin
Department
Arts of Greece, Rome, and Byzantium
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
9709
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The front (obverse) of this coin depicts an ear of barley. The back (reverse) depicts a bull with its head and horns facing downwards. A fillet, or headband, adorns its brow. Metapontum became wealthy through farming rather than trade. By illustrating the ear of grain on its coins, the city-state reminded its trading partners of its agricultural abundance.
About the Artist
Ancient Greek
The artist known simply as "Ancient Greek" represents the anonymous masters of Attic vase painting, a cornerstone of Classical Greek art from the Archaic and Classical periods (circa 700–300 BCE). Little is known of their personal life, as ancient Greek potters and painters rarely signed their works or left biographical traces; early life and training remain not well documented. These creators ope...