Greek Islands Ancient Coins
"Itanos Coin-Silver Stater"
Itanos, an important city at the east end of the island, was a Phoenician trading post and agency for the trade in purple dyes. The coins of the city have depictions of sea gods or serpents, suggesting that a sea deity was worshipped at Itanos. The silver staters, which date from the 4th c. BC, have on the obverse a depiction of a sea god (Glaukos or Triton), the top half of which is in the form of a human, while the lower half is a fish, and who brandishes a trident, or a depiction of two confronted sea serpents. The reverse is adorned with a stylized star or sun.
There is also evidence for a sanctuary of the sea deity Athena Salmonia in this region. Zeus Diktaios was also worshipped on nearby Mount Dikte, on the borders between Itanos and Praisos.
