Danake

Danake was a small silver coin used in ancient Greece, primarily as payment for passage across a body of water, especially the Styx in the underworld. The coin's value and specific weight varied across different regions and periods, but it generally represented a small denomination.

The term "danake" is most often associated with the ancient Greek funerary custom of placing a coin (often a danake, or sometimes an obol) in the mouth of the deceased. This was intended as payment to Charon, the ferryman of the underworld, for passage across the rivers Styx or Acheron. Without the coin, the soul was believed to be trapped on the near bank, unable to enter the realm of the dead.

The practice of placing a danake in the mouth of the deceased is documented in archaeological finds throughout the ancient Greek world, and is alluded to in numerous literary sources, including works by Aristophanes and Lucian. The association of the danake with funerary rites solidified its place in ancient Greek mythology and culture. The absence of the coin suggested an improper or incomplete burial, leaving the deceased in a liminal state.

While the term "danake" primarily refers to this funerary coin, it is sometimes also used more generally to describe any small-value coin. However, its connection to the passage of the dead remains its most distinctive feature.