Greece started to emerge from the Dark Ages in the eighth century B.C. The Ancient Greeks lived in mainland Greece and the Greek islands, but as the population expanded, also in what is now Turkey, and in the colonies scattered around the Mediterranean Sea coast. There were Greeks in Italy, Sicily, North Africa and as far west as France. Sailing the sea to trade and find new land, Greeks took their way of life to many places.

There was not one country called Greece. Instead, there were small ‘city-states’. Each city-state had its own government. Sometimes the city-states fought one another, sometimes they joined together. Athens, Sparta, Corinth and Olympia were four of the largest city-states.

This images on this reproduction Corinthian Didrachm coin are very significant to the Greek city-state of Corinth. According to myth, Athena’s gift of a golden bridal enabled Bellerophon to subdue the winged horse Pegasus, on the citadel of Corinth..

The coin is held in a clear plastic blister and is supplied in full colour pamphlet style packaging, complete with images and historical information of both the coin and the ancient Greeks.