THE COIN COLLECTOR - World eBook Library

GREEK COINS
who was supposed to have been born on Mount Ida.
Hera was worshipped at Cnossus and elsewhere in this
locality. Another prominent cult was that of Europa,
the mother by Zeus of Minos, and apparently the
heroine of a myth of Phoenician origin. Crete was also
the seat of the fable of Talos, the man of brass, who
made the circuit of the island thrice daily, and hurled
stones at vessels attempting to land, and of the dog
who guarded the youthful Zeus, both the work of
Hephaestos. The coinage of Crete is chiefly of civic
origin, and in silver and bronze ; it is of two standards
—the JEginetic and the Attic, the latter proceeding
from an alliance between the Cretans, Athenians, and
others against Macedon about B.C. 200. The prin-
cipal towns were Cnossus, Cydonia, Gortyna (whose
coins perpetuate the fable of Europa), Lyttus, Elyrus,
Phaestus, Phalasarna, Polyrhenium, Praesus, and Sybrita.
Unusual obscurity hangs over the topographical and
political history of this island, and it is possible that
there may have been a monetary system anterior to any
now identifiable. Gortyna seems to have been an im-
portant mint in the fifth century, and a silver stater
presents on reverse the almost unique feature conveyed
in the words Gortunos to paima. The famous Laby-
rinth of Minos is a common reverse type on the coins
of Cnossus, sometimes with the Minotaur's head in the
centre, sometimes with the Minotaur occupying the
obverse ; on those of Phaestus the Herakleian myth
prevails. The bronze currency is abundant. There is
a limited Roman imperial series.
81 F