Taras, the Boy on a Dolphin - A popular Greek silver coin

The entire Mediterranean was a Greek sea and colonies spread Greek civilization to each of its corners. One particularly successful colony was founded by refugees from Sparta at Taras (also called Tarentum - modern Taranto) in the South of Italy. The commercial success of Taras, added to the necessity to pay mercenary soldiers for the city`s defence, resulted in the production of millions of silver didrachms during the last two centuries before Rome destroyed Taras (c. 207 BC). Greek & Other Ancient Coins [Greece] [Coin Collecting]