DRACHMA

( δραχμή ), the principal silver coin among the Greeks. The two chief standards in the currencies of the Greek states were the Attic and Aeginetan. The average value of the Attic drachma was 9¾ d. of our money. It contained six obols ( ὀβολοί ); and the A then i ans had separate silver coins, from four drachmae to a quarter of an obol. There were also silver pieces of two drachmae and four drachmae. (See tables.) The tetradrachm in later times was called stater . The latter word also signifies a gold coin, equal in value to twenty drachmae [ Stater ]. The obolos, in later times, was of bronze: but in the best times of Athens we only read of silver obols. The χαλκοῦς was a copper coin, and the eighth part of an obol. The Attic standard prevailed most in the maritime and commercial states. It was the standard of Philip’s gold, and was introduced by Alexander for silver also.—The Aeginetan standard appears to have been the prevalent one in early times: we are told that money was first coined at Aegina by order of Pheidon at Argos. In later times the Aeginetan standard was used in almost all the states of the Peloponnesus, except Corinth. The average value of the Aeginetan drachma was 1 s. 1¾ d. in our money; and the values of the different coins of this standard are as follows:— | Shill. | Pence. | Farth. | | ½ Obol | - | 1 | 0·583 | | Obol | - | 2 | 1·166 | | Diobol us | - | 4 | 2·33 | | Tri obolus | - | 6 | 2·5 | | Drachma | 1 | 1 | 3 | | Didrachm | 2 | 3 | 2 | IMG:6459379820872971714_ill146.jpg: Aeginetan Drachma. (British Museum.) As the Romans reckoned in sesterces, so the Greeks generally reckoned by drachmae; and when a sum is mentioned in the Attic writers, without any specification of the unit, drachmae are usually meant.