Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2012/12/16

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Subject: [Leica] IMG: Croesus stater
From: john.nebel at csdco.com (John Nebel)
Date: Sun, 16 Dec 2012 15:15:15 -0700

<http://photos.csd.net/croesus_stater.html>

mouse over the image to view the reverse, click on the image for a 
enlargement

The coin is 16.6 mm diameter, 8 gm mass, struck in the 6th century BC

According to Herodotus, the Lydians were the first people to strike 
coins of silver and of gold.  This coin is not quite the first issue of 
gold coins, by one brief preceding issue.

Croesus was undecided about whether or not to go to war with the 
Persians as their king Cyrus was becoming a threat.  As a test, he sent 
an envoy to each of the known oracles instructing the envoys on a 
certain date to all ask the same question, what he was doing at that 
time.  The envoys did not know the answer, so this was a good test.  The 
Delphic oracle and one other answered correctly, that Croesus was making 
turtle and lamb soup in a bronze cauldron.  He bestowed lavish gifts on 
the successful oracles and then had asked the important question, 
whether or not he should go to war with Cyrus.  The answer was that a 
great kingdom would fall if he did.  He did go to war and a great 
kingdom fell, however, one must be careful of the phrasing of questions 
to oracles, and how to interpret their pronouncements.

comments, etc welcome.

John


Replies: Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] IMG: Croesus stater)