Lesbos: African Head, Quadripartite Incuse Square.

Although it isn't in the greatest of shapes I thought this little coin from Lesbos was worth sharing. I hadn't seen one of these tiny coins with an African head before, and was surprised that the ancient Greeks and Africans went so far back in history together. Even though the bust on the coin is somewhat stylised, it is clear that the engraver was familiar with Africans.

A few sites quote the following:
"Though Aethiopians - the Greek name for all Africans characterized by dark skin and short hair - feature regularly in Greek art, their depiction on coins is by contrast very infrequent."

"The Greeks were well acquainted with black Africans; they appear often in Greek literature as mythical or semi-mythical characters and warriors; it appears that they were known in the Greek world as early as the Minoan period, where they were employed by Minoan commanders as auxiliary troops. Indeed, if we may believe Quintus of Smyrna, the Greeks encountered black Africans in the army of Memnon at Troy. Black African contingents also formed a part of Xerxes' army and according to some scholars fought at Marathon (see Frazer, J. G., 1913: Pausanias' Description of Greece, II. Macmillan, London, pg. 434; and Graindor, P., 1908: Les Vases au Nègre. Musee Belge, pg. 29)."

Lesbos: Lesbian Koinòn. c. 510-480 B.C. AR BI Obol (Twelfth-Stater, Sixth-Shekel).
Obverse: Head of Nubian African, right. Reverse: Quadripartite incuse square with alternating raised and sunken quarters. Metal: Silver/billon. Diameter: 9-10mm. Weight: 0.89gm. African head in very high relief.
Babelon, Traite pl. XV, 7. BMC 43.