Aesop's Fables Grasshopper Medallion
In Aesop's classic tale "The Ant and the Grasshopper," the cheerful Grasshopper spends the warm months singing and relaxing, while the hardworking Ant prepares for winter by gathering food. When the cold arrives, the Grasshopper finds itself unprepared and learns the value of planning ahead. The story cleverly teaches the balance between enjoying the moment and being responsible—the perfect inspiration behind the Aesop’s Fables Grasshopper Medallion. Our medallion captures the story’s charm and wisdom, as well as its important message: The back features the Greek word ΠΡΟΜΗΘΕΙΑ, or "preparedness," which is the essence of the moral of Aesop's tale.
Our medallion is based on an ancient coin from Metapontion, a significant Greek colony in southern Italy (today, the city of Metaponto). Metapontion thrived on its fertile grain fields, proudly adopting the ear of barley as its symbol. Beyond its agricultural wealth, the city became a center of learning, hosting Pythagoras and his followers. Balancing prosperity with intellect, Metapontion exemplified the blend of prosperity and intellectual life that defined Magna Graecia.
This medallion is inspired by a silver didrachm dated to around 400 BC. The obverse (or front) of the coin shows the head of a female wearing a headband and jewelry. She is likely Demeter, goddess of grain and the harvest. In fact, much of Metapontion's coinage was dedicated to her. Our medallion features the coin's reverse (or back), with an ear of barley and a small grasshopper on one side, while the inscription META appears on the other side—an abbreviation of the Greek ΜΕΤΑΠΟΝΤΙΩΝ ("of/by the Metapontines").
Greek cities often featured symbolic animals on their coins. The ear of barley stood as the city’s emblem, while the grasshopper, linked to fields and harvest cycles, complemented it as a symbol of the land’s fertility and wealth. In Greek tradition, grasshoppers often represented autochthony—being born from the soil—and natural abundance. Combining the grasshopper with barley on this coin likely emphasized the city’s deep bond with the land and its blessings.
Our medallion may be worn as a necklace or a bracelet. It comes with a 22" brown leather cord, as well as your choice of a children's or adult's translated version of a book of Aesop's Fables.
