Abdera was a town on the coast of Thrace near the mouth of the Néstos River. It was named after Abderus, son of Hermes. The people of Teos, evacuating Ionia when it was overrun by the Persians under Cyrus (c.540 BCE), succeeded in establishing a colony. It developed a brisk trade with the Thracian interior. Abdera was a prosperous member of the Delian League in the 5th century but was crippled early in the 4th century BCE by Thracian incursions and declined sharply in importance. The philosophers Protagoras and Democritus were citizens of Abdera. The site is occupied by the modern town of Ávdhira, Greece.

Monetary System
Silver Decadrachm ~ 43 grams = 60 Obol
Silver Tetradrachm ~ 17.2 grams = 24 Obol
Silver Stater ~ 8.6 grams = 12 Obol
Silver Drachm ~4.3 grams = 6 Obol
Silver Tetrobol ~ 2.85 grams = 4 Obol
Silver Triobol / Hemidrachm  ~ 2.15 grams = 3 Obol
Silver Diobol ~ 1.72 grams = 2 Obol
Silver Obol ~ 0.72 grams
Silver Trittartemorion ~ 0.54 grams = 0.75 Obol
Silver Hemiobol ~ 0.36 grams = 0.5 Obol
Silver Trihemitartemorion ~ 0.27 grams = 0.375 Obol
Silver Tetratemorion ~ 0.18 grams = 0.125 Obol
Silver Hemitartemorion ~ 0.09 grams = 0.1 Obol
 
 


Abdera. Silver obol. c.465 BCE.
Obverse: Griffin seated paw raised.
Obverse: Quadripartite incuse square.
 

Abdera. Silver Hemidrachm. c.450 BCE.
Obverse: Griffin seated with foreleg raised and with a Greek inscription naming the city to the upper right.
Obverse: Standing figure of Hermes with a Greek  inscription.

Abdera. Silver Tetrobol. c.411 BCE.
Obverse: Griffin springing.
Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo left in square


Abdera. Silver Tetrobol. c.411 BCE.
Obverse: Griffin springing.
Obverse: Dolphin diving in a dotted square.


Abdera. Silver Stater. c.386 BCE.
Obverse: Griffin rearing.
Obverse: Standing Apollo holding patera and laurel branch with  a standing stag beside him. Inscription EPI KALLIA
NAKTOS.
 

Abdera. Silver Oktadrachm. c.520 BCE.
Obverse: Griffin seated with foreleg raised.
Obverse: Quadripartite incuse square.

(These large Oktadrachm were probably made for the payment of tribute to the Persians during their occupation of the Thracian coast. Presence of large numbers of oktadrachms in hoards in Achaemenid Empire gives credence to the speculation.)


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Reference: Encyclopedia Britannica