Obv: Laurated Head of Apollo right. Rev: Homer seated left, holding scroll on knees, right hand raised to chin, staff behind "Imerion" (in Greek) to right. Metal: Bronze 8.5 grams, 21 mm diameter. Condition: VF nice dark green patina. 

On the Western coast of what is now Turkey, bordering Lydia.  Smyrna (current day Izmir) is an ancient city dating from the 3rd milinium BC and became Greek about 1000 BC. In 600 BC, the Lydia king "Alyattes" drove the people out of the city. Although people returned, the city was insignificant until the arrival of Alexander the Great. Legend is that Alexander had a dream that he should establish a new city  at Mt. Pagos, the current location. In the first century BC "Strabo" wrote that Smyrna was the finest city of his time. The streets were wide and straight and aligned so that a cool breeze flowed through the city. The city had a shine dedicated to the deified Homer, whom they claimed was born in Smyrna. In 178 AD, Smyrna suffered an earthquake and was rebuilt by the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius.