The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

186 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.
of these earliest Orchomenian obols is also identical with
that of the Aeginetan money, and it is curious to observe
that as time goes on this reverse undergoes precisely the
same developments at Orchomenus as at Aegina.
Shortly after circ. B.C. 600, the Boeotian coinage, properly
so called, commences. Even if we had known
nothing from other sources of the Boeotian Confederacy,
its coinage would be alone sufficient to throw some light
upon the subject, for no ancient money is more clearly
federal in character.
The distinguishing type of the coinage of this league is
the so-called Boeotian buckler, a round or oval shield with
a semicircular opening at either side. As, among others,
Herakles is commonly represented on vase paintings bear-
ing a shield of this peculiar form, it is probable
that the
coin-type originated at Thebes in the worship of Herakles,
the national divinity of that city.
The most ancient coins bearing on the obverse this
shield, are characterized by an incuse square on the reverse,
of the ancient Aeginetan pattern, that is to say, divided
into eight triangular compartments, often of very rude
and irregular form, four of which are in relief, the other
four being deeply indented. The obverse or shield side is
either without any inscription (in which case it is presumable
that the coin is Theban), or else it has within the
openings of the shield on either side the letters ^ ^ ,
T T, or T A, the mint-marks of the towns Haliartus
and Tanagra.
These three cities, Thebes, Haliartus, and Tanagra,
seem to have been the only minting places of the Boeotian
Confederacy during the first half of the sixth century, the
obols of Orchomenus above mentioned not being con-
sidered as federal money.