Most coins from ancient Akragas were coined with the depiction of an eagle on the obverse and the image of a crab on the reverse.
The eagle was one of the symbols of Agrigento, the bird of Zeus, the greatest power;
The vast majority of Akragas’ subsidiaries had an eagle on the front and a crab on the back. In the photo coin, the eagle is depicted in profile with its wings closed. The Greek letters AKRAG, which indicate the origin of the coin from the ancient Agrigento, are still read in capitals. On the opposite side a crab is depicted, symbolising the city which is also referred to by its name. The crustacean is represented from above, so we can distinguish the main body, the two claws and the eight legs, four on each side, which extend along the entire length of the coin.
while the crab was likely associated with the name Akragas, which sounds similar to the word karkinos, Greek for crab. Another type of coin found in Agrigento had a quadriga (chariot), another symbol of the horse-breeding city.
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MiC – Ministero della Cultura
Legge 77/2006 - Misure Speciali di Tutela e Fruizione dei Siti Italiani di Interesse Culturale, Paesaggistico e Ambientale, inseriti nella “Lista Del Patrimonio Mondiale”, posti sotto la Tutela dell’ UNESCO Regione Siciliana.
Assessorato dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana, Dipartimento dei Beni Culturali e dell’Identità Siciliana.
Parco archeologico della Valle dei Templi di Agrigento.
Another type of coin found in Agrigento had a quadriga (chariot), another symbol of the horse-breeding city.
