Tetrobol from Olynthus

A coin from Olynthus that was struck by the Chalcidian League. Its front face features the head of Apollo in profile with a laurel wreath, and the back face shows a lyre surrounded by the text XAΛKIΔEΩN, referring to the Chalcidian League. This league was formed after several city-states broke away from the Delian League during the first phase of the Peloponnesian War, when Athens had taken on a more dominant role within the league.

The symbol of the Chalcidian League was Apollo’s lyre, which is why the god is on the front of the coin. Apart from the striking of coins, very little is known about the operations and organisation of the Chalcidian League. By the terms of the Peace of Nicias, Sparta and Athens agreed that it should be broken up, but this did not happen, probably because the peace was not final.