tly close to bring these examples under one description. They
seem to commemorate the just punishment of some enemies of Elis, or,
possibly, the deserved penalty for some wrong done Zeus himself. It
would not be easy at this late day to make sure what people or persons
may have been indicated by the ram, the serpent, and the hare. The
obverse in each case tells the story of the event so far as we can read
the story, and the reverse invariably confirms the tenor and spirit of
the same. This harmony between the two sides of the coin may be traced
throughout ancient coinage, proving that it was of a medallic character.
Other coins of Elis are of a peaceful character, and it is of interest
to see how the emblems are managed upon these. One has, obverse, head of
eagle; reverse, thunderbolt within a wreath. Another, obverse, head of
Hera; reverse, eagle standing in wreath. A third, obverse, head of
Olympia; reverse, eagle within olive-wreath. It will be observed that
the reverse does not in these instances bear the symbols as before, upon
an open field, but the field is now enclosed by a wreath. The import of
this seems to have been about the same as that of the drawn sword and
the sheathed sword in modern heraldic designs. Still other examples will
show not only the harmony between obverse and reverse, but how coins
were dedicated to more than one divinity. This practice was at first
more common in the colonies than in the metropolitan cities. A coin of
Crotona of about 479 B.C. has, obverse, eagle perched on the cornice of
a temple; reverse, tripod and olive-spray. It would seem likely that
this piece was first dedicated to Zeus, and next to Apollo. Zeus often
holds the eagle on his hand as falcons were held in the days of hawking,
and he is then called the eagle-holder (_exetophoros_). When so
represented, the god is commonly seated as at peace; but there is one
coin of Messene which shows him holding the bird while he is standing
and thundering. Later coins show combinations which are particularly
interesting in connection with the symbolism of our own coins. One of
the best of these is a Macedonian coin of the time of Perseus--obverse,
head of Perseus; reverse, an eagle on a thunderbolt, within a wreath of
oak. In connection with this example should be examined a Roman gold
coin of about 269 B.C.--obverse, head of Mars; reverse, an eagle holding
in its talons a thunderbolt. This type of reverse has been pretty
closely copi