v08_0839 - MASSALIA - MARSEILLES Litra ou obole

MASSALIA - MARSEILLE

(410-385 BC)

The beginning of the 4th century BC revolves around the creation of the heavy drachma of Marseilles. Legend has it that this coin was made to help the Romans pay ransom to the Gauls who besieged the Urbs in 390 BC. The obverse seems inspired by the beautiful heads of the nymph Arethusa of Syracuse while the reverse could have been inspired by the workshops of Greater Greece such as Velia. Marseille also adopted the Campanian standard used by Velia with a drachma of 3.70 g. This piece is an important link in Massali's history. A lion of Velia was worth two lions of Marseilles and proves the economic links which united the two cities in the face of the dangers represented by the Etruscans and the Carthaginians. The heavy drachma quickly disappeared. The MASSALIHTWN ethnic obol (Br/M. 25/C.1), then the M (Br/M. 26/D.1) are minted just before the creation of the heavy drachma.