Daric - 500 BC
Description
The daric was the primary coin of the Achaemenid Empire. Inspired by Lydian models, these coins were designed under the reign of Darius I. Regulated by weight and size, darics circulated throughout the empire's western provinces and inspired regional imitations.
The coin features a figure, dressed in royal garb, drawing a bow in either a kneeling or running position. At the time of the coin's creation, archery had long been a skill associated with royal power in Southwest Asia. The bow itself was often considered a symbol of the Iranian people, who famously trained in archery from youth for hunting, games, and warfare. The image of the royal archer underscored the king's Iranian identity.
Darics were primarily minted at Sardis, the former Lydian capital, but later also in Babylon.
The coin features a figure, dressed in royal garb, drawing a bow in either a kneeling or running position. At the time of the coin's creation, archery had long been a skill associated with royal power in Southwest Asia. The bow itself was often considered a symbol of the Iranian people, who famously trained in archery from youth for hunting, games, and warfare. The image of the royal archer underscored the king's Iranian identity.
Darics were primarily minted at Sardis, the former Lydian capital, but later also in Babylon.