MORTOWN PROUDLY PRESENTS: Sardes, Lydia, AE14, 133 BC. Head of Apollo right / ΣAΡΔI-ANΩN], club, monogram below, all within oak wreath. BMC 17; SNG Tuebingen 3774; SNG von Aulock 3126; Johnston Sardes 195; Gökyildirim Istanbul 466; GRPC Lydia 54.
Weight: 3.53 grams Size: 14mm
Historical note: Located in the modern day town of Sart, it was occupied from approximately 1300 B.C. and is widely known as the first city to produce coins. The most famous ruler of Sardis was King Croesus, (560 to 546 BC) who notoriously misinterpreted an oracle prediction, believing he would win a battle against the Persian king. He lost and the city was absorbed into the Persian Empire, later giving way to Alexander the Great, Byzantine and Roman rule. Ottoman Turks invaded in 1306 but by 1402, the city had been deserted and left to ruins. Thank to impressive archaeology work undertaken during the 19th century, we can see the main monuments that have been excavated and restored.
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