Greece’s government announced that it will issue special coins to commemorate the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae, popularly known as the “Battle of the 300.”
Sparta Mayor Petros Doukas shared the announcement via Facebook, where he wrote:
“[Here is] the special collector’s edition of the Hellenic Republic for the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae! Soon we will present [the coins] in Sparta!”
The two coins have values of €2 and €10, but only the former will enter circulation throughout the Eurozone. Greece will offer the €10 silver coin to be purchased by collectors.
As pictured above, the €2 gold coin includes an ancient Greek helmet on the national side.
The phrase “2,500 years from the Battle of Thermopylae” appears around the coin along with “Hellenic Republic.”
The front of the silver collector’s coin features an ancient Greek soldier holding a shield with extended spears in the background.
“Thermopylae – 480 BC,” appears on the shield’s arch along with “Leonidas” in honor of the fallen Spartan general whose name features prominently in Western heroic folklore.
A depiction of the Greek warriors facing the invading Persians appears on the back of the coin. In the center is the phrase “2,500 years since the Battle of Thermopylae,” Greece’s national coat of arms and “Hellenic Republic.”
For centuries, the Battle of Thermopylae has remained widely referenced as the ultimate symbol of heroic perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Historians estimate that the battle took place around today’s equivalent of late August or early September in 480 BC.
