A new study reveals how the ancient Kingdom of Pontus used Medusa imagery on coins to intimidate enemies and promote King Mithradates VI\u2019s resistance to Roman expansion.<\/strong><\/p>\n Ancient Greek rulers used images of Medusa to communicate military strength and intimidate their enemies more than 2,000 years ago, according to new research examining coins issued by the Kingdom of Pontus.<\/p>\n The study, conducted by researcher \u015eeng\u00fcl Dilek Ful of Tokat Gaziosmanpa\u015fa University, examines how depictions of Medusa became part of the kingdom\u2019s political messaging during the reign of Mithradates VI, who ruled from approximately 120 to 63 BC.<\/p>\n Published in the Journal of Literature and Humanities<\/em>, the research argues that the imagery was deliberately used to project power, influence public perceptions and reinforce Mithradates VI\u2019s campaign against Roman expansion in Anatolia.<\/p>\n Read more: The Lion of Kea Still Guards Its 2,600-Year-Old Secret<\/p>\n The coins presented Medusa as more than a figure from Greek mythology, turning her image into a symbol of intimidation, protection and anticipated victory.<\/p>\n Ful examined coins minted at Kabeira, Komana and Taulara, ancient settlements in the Pontic region corresponding to parts of modern-day Tokat province in northern Turkey.<\/p>\n Dating from 120 to 63 BC, the coins featured several mythological scenes associated with Medusa and the hero Perseus.<\/p>\n One design depicted the goddess Athena wearing a helmet alongside Perseus holding the severed head of Medusa.<\/p>\n Other examples showed Medusa\u2019s face displayed on a shield or protective garment, with Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, appearing on the reverse.<\/p>\n Some coins also depicted Medusa\u2019s lifeless body behind Perseus.<\/p>\n According to the research, these images carried a deliberate political message, presenting the defeat of a seemingly powerful enemy as a symbol of the victories Mithradates VI sought against Rome.<\/p>\n The study describes the imagery as a means to intimidate opponents while reinforcing the prospect of military success.<\/p>\n Mithradates VI was one of the most prominent rulers to challenge Roman expansion in the eastern Mediterranean.<\/p>\n His kingdom, Pontus, was centred on the southern Black Sea coast and developed into a major regional power during his reign.<\/p>\n He fought three major wars against Rome, known as the Mithridatic Wars, between 88 and 63 BC.<\/p>\n Ful argues that the use of Medusa imagery helped support Mithradates\u2019 portrayal of himself as a liberator resisting Roman domination.<\/p>\n In Greek mythology, Medusa was one of three Gorgon sisters and the only mortal among them. Her gaze was believed to turn anyone who looked directly at her into stone.<\/p>\n Perseus eventually defeated her with divine assistance, using a reflective shield to avoid her deadly gaze before cutting off her head.<\/p>\n He subsequently used Medusa\u2019s severed head as a weapon against his enemies.<\/p>\n The story offered a powerful visual reference for a ruler seeking to communicate strength, resistance and victory through the imagery appearing on everyday currency.<\/p>\n The research also examines how Medusa\u2019s depiction continued to appear across the region during the Roman period, long after the reign of Mithradates VI.<\/p>\n Archaeological finds include building decorations, burial monuments, terracotta plaques and bronze fittings.<\/p>\n Among the objects examined was a terracotta plaque discovered in 2017 at a Roman bath in Sebastopolis. It depicts Medusa with wavy hair and small wings near her forehead.<\/p>\n A stone grave marker discovered near Niksar in 1982, dating to the third or fourth century AD, also features Medusa\u2019s head above an inscription.<\/p>\n A fragment of a marble coffin examined in the study carries a further depiction.<\/p>\n Researchers suggest that Medusa\u2019s image served a protective purpose on burial monuments, where it was believed to ward off evil spirits and deter grave robbers.<\/p>\n Her association with death and the supernatural also connected the figure to ancient beliefs surrounding the afterlife.<\/p>\n Medusa imagery also appeared on small bronze discs used throughout the Roman world.<\/p>\n These objects were incorporated into military equipment, horse harnesses and furniture, demonstrating how the Gorgon became a recurring decorative and protective symbol.<\/p>\n However, the precise function of some of the bronze examples identified in the Tokat region remains uncertain.<\/p>\n The research traces a broader transformation in the use of Medusa\u2019s image, from a symbol associated with political authority and military intimidation under Mithradates VI to a protective motif appearing across architecture, burial sites and everyday objects.<\/p>\n More than two millennia after the Pontic coins were minted, the findings highlight how ancient Greek mythology could serve not only religious and artistic purposes but also as a means of communicating political ambition and military power.<\/p>\n Image credit: \u015eeng\u00fcl Dilek Ful \/ Channel 8 (where applicable). <\/p>\n![\"Ancient](\"https:\/\/greekcitytimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/pontus-medussa-face--1024x704.jpg\")
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<\/source><\/picture><\/figure>\nMedusa became a symbol of power on Pontic coins<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/picture><\/figure>\nMithradates VI used Greek mythology in his struggle against Rome<\/h3>\n
Medusa\u2019s image spread beyond coins<\/h3>\n
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<\/figure>\nFrom military symbolism to everyday decoration<\/h3>\n
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