Collection: Cyprus old coins

Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Achaemenid Empire, is a significant figure in ancient history, particularly in the context of coinage. Although coinage originated in Lydia about 50 years before Cyrus conquered it in 546 BC, Cyrus and his successors continued to use and expand upon this monetary system. The earliest coins associated with the Achaemenid Empire date back to the time of Darius I to Xerxes I, around 505-480 BC. These coins, known as Siglos, were typically made of silver and featured the image of a Persian king, often in a radiate headdress. The use of coinage under Cyrus and subsequent rulers played a crucial role in standardizing trade and consolidating the empire's economic foundations