Ancient Greek silver coin tetradrachm, featuring the head of Medusa.
Medusa - a monster in Greek mythology, who was the only one of her sisters to be mortal. She is known for having snakes for hair and the ability to turn anyone who looked at her into stone. She was a priestess of Athena who was transformed by the goddess into a monster after being seduced by Poseidon in Athena's temple. Ancient Greek city-states began minting their own coins around 600 BCE, often with images of local gods, heroes, or symbols.
