4488) “ Milos Viper - an Endangered species," Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δηομκρατία) of Greece: The Bank of Greece (BOG) has issued a 5€ Silver Coin minted by Bank of Greece (IETA – Νομισματοκοπείο): Date/Year of Coin issue: 2026:
The Greeks had an eventful and tumultuous history, littered with wars, foreign invasions and conquests, until they founded the modern Greek state in the 19th century. They managed to navigate these turbulent waters, maintain their language and survive as a nation over the millennia because they have always prized military valour, one of the cardinal virtues of a Greek across time. No wonder, Greek history is full of examples of heroism and glory.
Greek, and admittedly all of European, literature starts with Homer’s Iliad, an epic almost 16 thousand verses long that celebrates the “glorious deeds of heroes”.
The plot gets rolling with a quarrel between the Greek commander-in-chief in the Trojan War, Agamemnon, and his most formidable fighter, Achilles, who was raised on the precept “always to be the bravest and to surpass all others”. Achilles’ wrath is the first theme in our new series of gold coins dedicated to Homer’s Iliad.
The Wrath of Achilles:
Hercules, the greatest Greek hero, is the theme of a new series of collector silver coins dedicated to The labours of Hercules, to be issued in puzzle coin sets.
The Labours of Hercules:
The series starts with three coins that piece together to tell the story of the first three labours: the killing of the Nemean lion and the Lernaean Hydra and the capture of the Ceryneian hind.
Heinrich Schliemann, polyglot, millionaire, adventurer and visionary, made it the purpose of his life to prove that Homer’s world had indeed existed. One hundred and fifty years ago, after unearthing Troy, he began excavations at Mycenae. The most spectacular among his finds was the “Mask of Agamemnon”, as Schliemann named it, believing to have found the grave of the legendary king. This exquisite artifact is depicted on this year’s coin in our Cultural heritage series.
The Mask of Agamemnon:
The 1820s, the decade when the Greeks fought for and won their independence, abounds in acts of heroism, glory, and often sacrifice. An unparalleled example is the Exodus of Messolonghi, to which we dedicate both a silver collector and a 2-euro circulation coin to mark the bicentennial of the event.
Together we honour with a silver coin the Swiss philhellene Johann Jakob Meyer, father of Greek journalism, who was killed during the Exodus (Philhellenes series). Memories of the heroic last stand of the defenders of the Sacred City of Messolonghi haunt the region of Aetolia-Acarnania this year’s theme of our Tourism series.
200 Years from the Exodus of Messolonghi:
Tourism - Aetolia-Acarnania:
Ioannis Kapodistrias, who is portrayed on our most precious coin in this year’s programme, was a diplomat of international renown who helped the Greek Revolution in its vulnerable first phase and later made the first serious state-building effort as Governor of Greece.
250 Years from the Birth of Ioannis Kapodistrias:
Like every war, the Greek Revolution produced not only heroes, but also victims among the civilian population, including refugees.
To these people we turn our attention with a silver coin dedicated to 200 hundred years from the naming of Hermoupolis. Built on the island of Syros by refugees from several places devastated by the Turks, the new city thrived thanks to commerce and industry, becoming the gem of the Cyclades.
Turning to our long-standing series, we are issuing silver coins that feature Aristarchos of Samos, the first proponent of the heliocentric theory (in the Mathematicians series), and the hydraulis of Ktesibios, the first ever keyboard instrument (in our Ancient Greek technology series).
Link to post on Aristarchos on this Blog:
The Hydraulis of Ktesibios:
Next in our Endangered fauna of Greece series is the Milos viper (Macrovipera schweizeri), the most threatened reptile species in Greece.
One of the best known animal fables is the Lion and the mouse, which features on this year’s coin in our Aesop’s fables series.
We are also launching a new series dedicated to the lighthouses of Greece, starting with the Tourlitis lighthouse of Andros.
The Tourlitis Lighthouse of Andros:
Finally, we celebrate important anniversaries by a silver coin commemorating 150 years from the invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell and a 2-euro circulation coin to mark 100 years from the foundation of the Academy of Athens, guardian of the Greek language and culture.
I will keep on adding the links to my posts of the Greek Coinage this year to keep the visitors abreast with the stories.
ENVIRONMENT - ENDANGERED FAUNA OF GREECE: THE MILOS VIPER (MACROVIPERA SCHWEIZERI)
Macrovipera schweizeri, the Milos viper, also known as the Cyclades blunt-nosed viper, is a subspecies of venomous snake in the family Viperidae.
The subspecific name, schweizeri, is named after of Swiss herpetologist Hans Schweizer (1891–1975).
Milos vipers grow to an average total length (including tail) of 50–70 cm (20–28 in), with a maximum of 98.5 cm (38.8 in).
Geographic range:
Milos vipers are found on the Greek islands of the Cyclades Archipelago in the Aegean Sea: Milos, Siphnos, Kimolos and Poliaigos. The type locality is given as "Insel Milos".
The subspecies is endemic to the Cyclades Archipelago of Greece in the Aegean Sea.
Endemic to the western Cyclades islands, its distribution is restricted to Milos, Kimolos, Polyaigos and Sifnos.
It is the most endangered reptile species in Greece and a flagship species of conservation concern within the European herpetofauna.
The species has evolved behavioural adaptations in response to the resource-limited insular environment, particularly in its exploitation of migratory birds as a key food resource.
During the spring migration period, individuals employ ambush predation strategies at temporary pools that form within seasonal streambeds.
In autumn, M. schweizeri exhibits a notable shift in foraging behaviour, frequently climbing shrubs and small trees to intercept passerine birds either during daylight hours or while the birds are roosting at night.
As ambient temperatures rise in the summer months, the species becomes strictly nocturnal.
It is the only European viper species that is oviparous, in contrast to other European vipers, which are ovoviviparous.
Adults feed on passerine birds, while young vipers under 35 cm feed primarily on Milos wall lizards and European copper skinks.
This adaptation to feeding on birds and lizards likely occurred because of the lack of native rodent species in the western Cyclades (house mice and black rats were introduced). While largely terrestrial, they have seasonally arboreal behaviour, foraging for prey in trees on autumn nights.
Conservation status:
This subspecies, M. l. schweizeri, is classified as "Endangered" by the IUCN; less than 4000 adult individuals exist in the wild as of 2022.
The main threats to the species are anthropogenic, including habitat degradation and fragmentation due to mining activities, expansion of tourism infrastructure, road networks, illegal collection and direct persecution.
Furthermore, a continuing decline is observed due to being killed by feral cats, persecution and over-collecting by collectors, and its habitat continues to decline in extent and quality.
It is also listed as strictly protected (Appendix II) under the Berne Convention.
It is mentioned by G.A. Boulenger in his book “The Snakes of Europe” that "this much dreaded snake, the bite of which is probably as bad as that of its Indian ally, the Daboia, Vipera russelli ".
The Coin:
