The Crab of Akragas. Tetradrachm of Akragas. Coin made of silver circa 420 - 413 BCE in Akragas (Agrigento, Italy). A rare piece from Akragas, one of the richest and most powerful cities in Sicily

This rare piece from Akragas, one of the richest and most powerful cities in Sicily, is an excellent example of how painstaking detail and careful observation of nature can be combined to create a splendid rendering on an object as small as a coin. The crab, one of the city's symbols, the giant fish (probably a grouper) and two tiny mollusks stand out strikingly against the smooth background, as if arranged on a seafood platter.

Exhibited in the Madrid National Archaeological Museum, Madrid, Spain.

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Animals Classical Coins Madrid Madrid National Archaeological Museum Original Photo Spain