Hemidrachm from Neapolis

A coin struck in Neapolis, present-day Naples, with a facing gorgoneion on the front and the nymph of Neapolis on the back with her head in profile.

Neapolis was part of Magna Graecia, “Greater Greece”, which consisted of Greek settlements on the southernmost coast of Italy. Gorgoneion was a typical Greek protective symbol, which was used not only in coins, but also in mosaics in front of doors. It is also often depicted in Athena’s aegis, which, according to Homer, originally belonged to Zeus. In general, both gods were often portrayed with a gorgoneion as part of their costume. The nymph, on the other hand, is the personification of Neapolis. She is not a god, but rather represents the city of Neapolis in human form. The nymph is surrounded by the letters N E O, which refer to the place where the coin was struck.