Aesop's Fables Tortoise Medallion

$137.50

In Aesop’s classic fable "The Tortoise and the Hare," the speedy Hare boasts about his quickness and challenges the slow but steady Turtle to a race. Confident he’ll win easily, the Hare takes a nap mid-way, while the Turtle plods along without stopping. Spoiler alert: the Turtle wins by being patient and persistent! This clever tale reminds us that slow and steady truly wins the race. Our medallion captures the story’s charm and wisdom, as well as its important message: The back features the Greek word ΥΠΟΜΟΝΗ, or "perseverance," which is the essence of the moral of Aesop's tale. 

Greek cities often featured symbolic animals on their coins. Our medallion is based on an ancient coin from Aegina, which was a Greek island city-state known for its powerful navy and its role as a major maritime and trading power. It was also one of the first Greek states to mint its own coins.

Its famous stater, known as the "turtle," was a silver coin first issued in the 6th century BC. It is notable for featuring a sea turtle (or tortoise) on the obverse, initially a sea turtle as a symbol of Aegina's naval strength and its status as a major maritime power, and later a land tortoise. The change from a sea turtle to a land tortoise in later coins is believed to mark a decline in Aegina's naval power after its conquest by Athens in 457 BC. These coins were widespread across the ancient world as a significant form of currency and were even known as "turtles" in antiquity. Our example dates to c. 480 BC.

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

Detalles del producto

Pendant maximum diameter: 1.5 cm
The children's version of Aesop's Fables is the Milo Winter version, and the version for adults is the Gibbs translation for Oxford World's Classics.