What stories can a handful of Ancient Greek coins reveal about the ancient world, and how did they function as a form of mass media? They worked like a slow, metallic version of modern social media, transmitting messages about political and military power, national identity, and religion into almost every hand across the Mediterranean. The effect is strikingly similar to today’s social media feeds: not a single monumental speech from a monarch, but countless small, repeated exposures to personalities and authority day after day. Origins of Ancient Greek coinsThe story begins in Lydia, in western Anatolia, where stamped electrum pieces from the late seventh century BC are widely regarded as the first true Ancient Greek coins. When compared with today’s curated social media feeds and algorithm-driven posts, Ancient Greek coins emerge as an early, analog prototype of the same impulse: to broadcast identity, assert legitimacy, and keep a carefully crafted image circulating through the public sphere.