AR Siglos. Type IIIb. Persia. Achaemenid Empire. Sardeis.

The silver coinage of the Achaemenid Empire struck in Lydia continues the monetary tradition established by the Lydian Kingdom, the earliest society to strike true coinage.

Early siglos Types I, II, and IIIa were introduced under Darius I with a standard weight of approximately 5.40 grams. The present coin, however, is likely a Type IIIb, a slightly heavier issue attributed to the reign of Artaxerxes I, who succeeded Darius I. This increase in weight reflects a subtle adjustment to the silver standard during the early 5th century BCE and helps refine the attribution within the broader Achaemenid monetary series.