977) Greek Historian, Thucydides, Greece: Bank of Greece has issued a new 200 Euro Gold Coin in their on-going Coin Series titled "Greek Culture" highlighting various themes throughout Hellenic history: Coin issue date: 18.04.2019:

977) Greek Historian, Thucydides, Greece: Bank of Greece has issued a new 200 Euro Gold Coin in their on-going Coin Series titled "Greek Culture" highlighting various themes throughout Hellenic history: Coin issue date: 18.04.2019:

Other interesting posts on Greek Coinage and Commemorative Coins:

1) Coinage of Greece: The Four Ages of Greek Coinage of Antiquity 

2) Some ancient coins depicting Greek mythology & history 

3) Ancient Olympic Games on Greek coins of Antiquity

4) Modern Greek coins: Drachmas & Leptas; Commemorative Greek Drachma coins. 

5) Coinage of Greece: (Part V): Modern Coins: 1) Greek Euro Coins: ii) Greek Commemorative Euro Coins

6) Battle of Marathon: Battles that changed History Coin Series: A $2, 1 Oz Silver coin minted by the New Zealand Mint on behalf of Niue Island in 2018

7) Herodotus (484 - 425 BC):" Father of History": First coin in the new coin Series titled "Greek Historians": A 10 Euro Silver Coin issued by the Bank of Greece on 30.05.2018

8) Olympian God Apollo: Greek Mythology Coin Series: A 100 Euro Gold Coin minted by the Hellenic State Mint and issued by the Bank of Greece on 19.09.2018

9) Greek Historian, Thucydides, Greece: Bank of Greece has issued a new 200 Euro Gold Coin in their ongoing Coin Series titled "Greek Culture" highlighting various themes throughout Hellenic history: Coin issue date: 18.04.2019

The Bank of Greece has issued a new Gold Collector Coin under its on-going commemorative coin series titled "Greek Culture", which highlights various themes throughout Hellenic history.

The latest coin in this Series depicts the legendary historian Thucydides (460 BC-404 BC), who was a prominent figure from the ancient Grecian Age. He is particularly remembered for his detailed recounting of the struggle between the City-States of Athens and Sparta in the 5th Century BC.

Thucydides was the son of Olorus, and the family was originally not Athenian and the origins of Olorus' name was probably of Thracian descent on his mother's side.

Though Thucydides was himself Athenian, little is known about his earlier life, except for what he disclosed/mentioned in his writings. Even the exact year of his birth is uncertain but is believed to be no later than 460 BC, as in 424 BC, when he may have been of 30 years of age, he was elected as one of the 10 strategos, who were military magistrates of great importance. He was in Athens during the great pestilence of 430-429 BC and he caught the disease himself and recorded the sufferings of others who were afflicted by the disease. His literary recordings/career began in 431 BC with the events which provoked the war between Athens & Sparta.

As an appointed strategos, he was given command of the fleet in the Thrace-ward region, based at Thasos, but failed to prevent the capture of the important city of Amphipolis by the Spartan General Brasidas, who launched a sudden attack in the middle of winter. Thucydides was recalled, tried and sentenced to exile.

While in exile, he found greater opportunity for undistracted study and to compile his  "History". He used this opportunity to travel and to develop more extensive contacts, especially on the Peloponnesian side with Sparta and its allies. 

Having survived the war, his exile ended with its conclusion and the fall of Athens in 404 BC. Although the nature of his death remains clouded in the obscurity of time, he may have passed away from a violent climate in the city at that time, as Athens suffered turbulent times, before a negotiated/settled peace.

His recordings in the "History", which is divided into eight books stop in the middle of the events of the autumn of 411 BC.

His work is mainly remembered for his record of Pericles' speech about those killed in the first year of the war. His account is the most comprehensive reference of Athens and Athenian democracy, that any leading citizen of that time would have hoped to hear. 

His tomb and a monument to his memory were still a part of the Athenian landscape well into the 2nd Century AD. Thucydides' works were meticulously translated by the English scholar and philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), directly from Greek into English in 1628. 

The Commemorative Coin:

The Reverse and Obverse of the 200 Euro Gold Coin depicting Thucydides placed side by side

The Hellenic State Mint has minted this Proof-Quality Gold Coin at their facilities in Athens on behalf of the Bank of Greece.

The Reverse of this 200 Euros Gold Coin depicts a historically accurate image on Thucydides facing right. This representation is based on an original  marble bust from the early 4th Century BC.

Placed to the right of Thucydides image is the Greek text "THUCYDIDES" (spelt in Greek), seen along the upper right periphery of the Coin.

The year of issue "2019" is placed towards  the centre right periphery along with the mint mark of the Hellenic Mint.

On the outer periphery is a traditional key border surrounding the design.

The Obverse of the 200 Euro Gold Coin presents the official crest of the Hellenic Republic  with the text "GREEK REPUBLIC" (spelt in Greek) shown above the crest. The denomination of the coin "200 EURO" (also spelt in Greek) is seen towards the lower periphery. A traditional Greek key-border motif also surrounds the design.

The specifications of this 200 Euro Gold Coin are:

Denomination: 200 Euro; Metal Composition: .917 Gold (Au); Weight: 7.98 grams; Diameter/Size: 22.0 mm; Coin Quality: Proof; Maximum Mintage: 750 pieces; Year of issue: 2019.

Each 200 Euro gold Coin is encapsulated and presented in a polished wooden box and is accompanied with a Certificate of Authenticity (COA).