$ 1,100.00 USD Size Guide
FOR PENDANT SIZE SEE COIN DETAILS BELOW
Please Note: This is an authentic Ancient Greek Treasure Coin, and you will receive the exact pendant in the photographs and description.
As the Ancient Greek world developed, colonists traveled far and wide, establishing settlements that would sometimes become powerful city states; what the Greeks called a Polis. One such Polis is the ancient Rhodes, on the Isle of Rhodes… most famous in modern times as the site of the legendary Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Perhaps the most universal symbol of all ancient beliefs – the glowing sun in the form of an all seeing deity took form in Ancient Greece as Helios, the sun god. As he drove his fiery chariot across the sky each morning, he was said to see all. Thus, he became the god of keeping promises.
As the patron god of Rhodes, Helios was married to the sea nymph Rhode, who was a daughter of Poseidon. Myth held that it is through this union that Rhodes was born, and these deities are commemorated on the silver Drachms and Didrachms of ancient Rhodes – which bear Helios on one side and the Rose on the other.
April's Notes: Ancient Greek city-state coins are wonderfully thick and deeply struck, and this Drachm is no exception. With the bold, clear strike of Helios, you can clearly see the radiate crown - and the Rose is amazingly detailed. Best of all, ancient coin minters didn't always care if the top of one side of the coin was also the top on the other (what we now call "Medallic Orientation") this coins two sides have almost perfect orientation - so you can wear it either side out.
Inhabited since the Neolithic period (10,000 to 4,500 BC), The island of Rhodes is part of the present-day Greek island grouping of Dodecanese.
“Rhodes” comes from the Ancient Greek word “Rhodon” which translates to Rose – sometimes known as the island of the Rosese, Rhodes is shaped like a spear head and is approximately 540 square miles in size. The city of Rhodes is at the northern tip of the island. Since ancient times, it has been a vibrant and legendary maritime trade center.
The Legendary Colossus of Rhodes
70 cubits… 108 feet high – the soaring height of the Statue of Liberty – the Colossus of Rhodes was constructed in 280 BC to commemorate Rhodes’ successful defense against a siege lasting a year. The Colossus, a massive statue of Helios, was created of iron reinforced bronze and weighted with stones.
The monolithic statue became one of the most legendary, and tallest, structures of the Ancient World. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient world, the Colossus presided over the harbor at Rhodes, a visual symbol of its power, wealth and influence until it collapsed during the earthquake of 226 BC.
