[enlargement]    
       
next coin >
44: Ionia, Klazomenai, Tetradrachm

This is probably the last real masterpiece which I am going to show you. The head is of Apollo "en face," minted in Klazomenai in Ionia during the great period around 360 BC. This was a time of mass production of coins but with a few beautiful coin dies. On the left, there is the inscription "Theodotos epoie" - Theodotos made me. This is the artist's signature, just like Raphael, Rembrandt and other masters. The artist was aware of his artistic achievement, or he would not have signed the die, nor would he have been allowed to do so. Calm, powerful, majestic, perhaps one of the most beautiful male heads on a coin. In my opinion, the last amazing masterpiece from Asia Minor. I don't know whether the artist was Greek. It is very likely, but he could just as well have been a Greek from Ionia or from Aeolis where works in Greek art tradition were made. We shouldn't focus too much on the aspect whether the artist was Greek or not. He may as well be a local die engraver who had been influenced by Greek art from the mainland.