Helios Coin Earrings

Sun worshiping is not a recent fad, but rather an ancient tradition. The Greeks and Romans were especially serious about their devotion to their solar deities, which the Greeks named Helios and the Romans named Sol. The front of this coin depicts the facing head of Helios with rays of the sun emanating in all directions. The back shows a rose, which is a punning allusion to Rhodos, the name of the city which issued the coin.

During the middle ages the facing head of Helios on these coins was thought to be the image of Christ. Hence the finding of these coins while plowing a field was not only a monetary windfall, but also a sign of good luck. Although the sun-god Helios was worshiped throughout the Greek world, he was especially admired at Rhodes, an island off the coast of modern-day Turkey. It was here that a massive statue of the youthful god was constructed in 278 BC. So large and famous was this statue that it was named the Colossus of Rhodes. At about 280 feet high, it was the tallest statue ever produced in the ancient world, and it is rightfully considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.