Goddess Athena and Lion Didrachm Ancient Greek Coin - Short History

A silver didrachm minted at about 400-350 BC, in the South Italian colony of Hyele, a Phocian colony known as well as Velia.

The emblem of the city, the lion, appears on the reverse of the first didrachms - minted on the 6th century.

The obverse of these first coins were decorated with the head of the nymph Hyele, but later, as in this coin, the head of goddess Athena replaced Hyele, while the lion remained on the reverse side.