The influence of the old religious beliefs nevertheless maintained so firm a hold on men’s minds that the reverses of Greek coins continued to bear sacred types throughout the Roman Imperial period; and even on the money of the Byzantine emperors when Christianity had become the State religion, the figures of Christ and the Virgin, or the sign of the Cross, still bear witness that the same religious sanction in a new form continued to be invoked for the coin of the realm. § THE GODS AS REPRESENTED ON THE COINAGE. ZEUS (JUPITER). The head of this god is almost always bearded and crowned with laurel or olive (Fig. 1). The youthful head called Zeus Hellenios, on certain coins of Syracuse, is however beardless, and but for the inscription which in this case accompanies it, would be indistinguishable from a head of Apollo. _Zeus Ammon_ (Fig. 2), frequent on coins of Cyrene, is distinguished by the ram’s horn behind the ear. This god is sometimes beardless. The head of the Zeus of Dodona is represented with a wreath of oak-leaves (Fig. 3). [Illustration: Fig. 1. Zeus (Jupiter).] [Illustration: Fig. 2. Zeus (Ammon).] [Illustration: Fig. 3. Zeus (Jupiter).] The entire figure of Zeus appears in various attitudes, of which the following are of most frequent occurrence:-- Zeus enthroned (Fig. 4), holding in one hand a sceptre, and in the other an eagle or a victory. Zeus standing, with eagle or victory. Zeus advancing, with ægis on his arm and hurling his thunderbolt. _Zeus Labrandeus_ on coins of Caria stands full draped, with the double axe (Labrys) over his shoulder and a sceptre in his hand. [Illustration: Fig. 4. Zeus (Jupiter).] [Illustration: Fig. 5. Apollo.] HADES (PLUTO), the king of the under world, resembles Zeus in type, but is usually accompanied by Cerberus. SERAPIS. The great Egyptian divinity of the Ptolemaic age is also very like Zeus, but his head is always surmounted by a lofty modius (a measure for corn), which is often richly ornamented. APOLLO. The head of this god is more commonly met with on coins than that of any other divinity. He is represented in full youthful beauty, generally with flowing hair and almost always crowned with laurel (Figs. 5, 6, and 7). His full-length figure is variously delineated, usually naked, with bow or laurel branch in his hand, either standing or seated, often on the Delphian omphalos (Fig. 8), or else beside his sacred tripod. When he wears a long robe reaching to the feet, and carries a lyre, he is called Apollo Musegetes, the leader of the Muses. [Illustration: Fig. 6. Apollo.] [Illustration: Fig. 7. Apollo.] [Illustration: Fig. 8. Apollo.]