Tetrobol

The tetrobol of Phaselis, minted around 480 BCE, emerged from a prominent port city on the Lycian coast. During this period, Phaselis functioned as an important maritime hub for trade between Greece and the Near East, and the coinage reflects its strategic economic position. These small silver denominations were crafted to facilitate regional commerce, serving the daily transactional needs of merchants and local citizens who required fractional currency smaller than the standard stater.

The design of these coins typically features the prow of a galley on the obverse, a direct nod to the city's maritime identity and naval power. The reverse often displays a stern or a secondary nautical emblem, a motif intended to reinforce the city's seafaring heritage. While the specific die-engravers remain anonymous, the work is characteristic of the rigorous, functional aesthetic of Archaic Lycian coinage, which was valued for its durability and consistent weight standards among traders operating along the Mediterranean littoral.