IONIA, Achaemenid Period
AE12. 1.52g, 11.6mm
MINTED: IONIA, under uncertain Persian satrap, circa 4th century BC
REF: SNG von Aulock 7810 (Memnon); SNG Tübingen 2754
OBVERSE: Persian king or hero in kneeling-running position right, holding spear and bow.
REVERSE: Two concentric squares, a line projecting out from one side of outer square.
 
Notes:
Dark greenish black patina.
There is no firm concensus regarding what is shown on the reverse of this coin.  Some scholars contend that it depicts a military camp, whereas others believe it to show a fire altar.
 
Historical Notes:
Under the rule of the Achaemenid Empire, the Greek cities of Ionia were required to pay tribute to the Persian king and provide troops for his armies. Despite this, the Ionian cities retained a significant degree of autonomy and were allowed to govern themselves.  
 
However, tensions between the Ionians and their Persian overlords eventually led to rebellion. In 499 BCE, several Ionian cities, led by the city of Miletos, launched an unsuccessful revolt against Persian rule. The Persians responded by crushing the rebellion and punishing the rebellious cities.
 
The Achaemenid period of Ionian history is significant because it marked the first direct contact between the Greeks and the Persian Empire. The Ionian cities played an important role in transmitting Persian culture and ideas to the Greeks, and in shaping Greek perceptions of the Persians. The failed Ionian revolt also set the stage for the larger conflict between Greece and Persia that would come to a head in the Greco-Persian Wars.