Obolos 15

LESBOS. Uncertain mint. Circa 500 BC. 1/12 Stater (Billon, 8 mm, 0.83 g). Head of a young, male African to left (Aithiops?). Rev. Quadripartite incuse square. HGC 6, 1087. SNG Copenhagen 295. SNG von Aulock 7715 var (head to right). Rare. Toned and with a portrait that is probably that of real person, albeit with his features slightly emphasized. Very fine.

Nowadays we are constantly being told that the ancient Greeks had many faults, really were not the true ancestors of democracy, didn't treat women properly, etc. After a while such carping revisions starts to get boring, no? This tiny coin shows us something very important that we need to think about: on its obverse is the portrait of an African male, who could, in fact, be someone we might meet on the street today. He is not here for any conceivable derogatory reason: while the Greeks considered anyone who did not speak Greek a barbarian, for them anyone who spoke Greek was perfectly ok. This African did not appear on the coin as a slave, or a servant, or some lower class character, he is here as an exciting, interesting and exotic character, worthy of curiosity and respect. It is rare that a simple coin can be loaded with so many fascinating implications!