obols

An obol, plural obols, is a small ancient Greek coin. It was also a unit of weight equal to one sixth of a drachma, and in many city-states it functioned as a standard denomination for everyday transactions.

Obols were typically minted in bronze or copper, with weight and form varying by city and era. In Athens and other centers they remained a common small coin from the early Archaic period (7th century BCE) into the Hellenistic era, though silver and other issues appeared in some locales. The exact value depended on the polis and the time.

In the Greek monetary system, six obols make one drachma, and larger sums were counted in drachmae and stater units. The obol's role was practical for small purchases, fares, and offerings in temples. Its use illustrates how everyday commerce was conducted across many Greek communities.

In classical literature and ritual practice, an obol is the coin placed in the mouth of the deceased to pay Charon the ferryman for passage across the river Styx. This cultural motif helped symbolize obligations to the dead in ancient Greek belief.

In modern scholarship, obols are studied as indicators of minting standards, economic relations, and weight systems of ancient Greece. Surviving coins and coin hoards help researchers trace trade networks, regional differences, and the broader economy of the ancient Mediterranean world.