Alexander the Great and Zeus coin pendant

Zeus, king of the gods, was the god of the sky, of thunder and the weather, justice, oaths and promises, hospitality, guests and hosts, and he was the protector of the family unit. Quite a selection!

His brothers were Poseidon, god of oceans and rivers, and Hades, god of the Underworld. His sisters were Demeter, goddess of the fertility of the earth, Hestia, goddess of the hearth, and Hera, to whom he was married and with whom he had three legitimate offspring: Hephaistos, Hebe, and Ares.

His countless sexual indiscretions, often in disguise as random showers of gold, swans, or white bulls) resulted in a vast and colourful array of other children, both mortal and divine, including the gods Athena (his 'brainchild', literally), twins Apollo and Artemis, Dionysos, Hermes, Aphrodite, and the 9 Muses. Helen of Sparta, Perseus, Herakles and Minos were also among his famous offspring.

Zeus is depicted with a luscious beard, and is often shown holding, or poised to cast, his signature thunderbolt, manufactured exclusively for him by the giant Cyclopes.

His sanctuaries include Olympia (where the Olympic Games, founded by Herakles, were held in his honour), and Nemea (where the Nemean Games were held in his honour also), two glorious sites, both in the Peloponnese, and where there are remains of magnificent temples dedicated to Zeus.

The oracle in Zeus' sanctuary in Dodona, in the shadow of Mount Tomaros in northern Greece, is rather different. The focal point of the sanctuary was (at first, anyway) the sacred oak tree (phagos) which was thought to represent the power and presence of Zeus. When the wind blew up the valley, the rustling leaves and the creaking branches were thought to represent the direct oracular voice of the god. The circle of bronze cauldrons and tripods which protected the tree made a gentle chiming sound in the breeze. The priests walked barefoot (with feet permanently unwashed) and would sleep on the ground, connected at all times to the earth's energy, so they could more easily sense these natural sounds and interpreting them for the visiting pilgrims.

When Jason was building the Argo, Athena herself travelled to Dodona, cut a piece of wood from the sacred oak, and incorporated it into the prow of the ship. Because it had come from the prophetic tree, it gave the Argo the power of human speech. During the quest for the Golden Fleece, the ship herself issued warnings about all sorts of obstacles and how to overcome them.

When Odysseus finally lands in Ithaca disguised as a beggar, he spins a yarn to his loyal swineherd, Eumaios (and later to Penelope), claiming that he has news that someone had spotted Odysseus in Dodona, 'to ask the holy oak what Zeus intended.' (Emily Wilson's 2018 translation), reminding us of how the ancient Greeks visited oracles such as this and Apollo's one in Delphi, to seek advice at crucial turning points in their lives, however cryptic and ambiguous the reply might be.

It has been a privilege to work with the Vaphiadis family since 2007. They are one of the best manufacturers of sterling silver jewellery in Greece.

The collection is inspired by ancient Greek silver and gold coins, the art and jewellery of the Minoan civilisation, familiar symbolic motifs and images, and the animals that played a significant part in ancient Greek culture.

Due to the tragic, sudden death in early 2025 of Ioannis Vaphiadis, who made all this beautiful jewellery, the family's jewellery production has ceased.

This is all the remaining stock that I have. Ioannis was only in his late 50s, was such a lovely man and a dear friend.

I was so lucky to work closely with him for 19 years.If you already have a piece of his jewellery, cherish it.

Strategist, visionary, and conqueror, Alexander III of Macedon reshaped the ancient world not merely through conquest, but through a visionary blueprint for a globalized civilization. He died at 32, so his achievements are even ore phenomenol.

Succeeding his father, Philip II, in 336 BCE, his career quickly transcended the boundaries of traditional Greek statehood to forge a legacy of cultural synthesis and intellectual expansion.

One of his greatest achievements was to realise the concept of homonoia (harmony), an ambitious policy aimed at fusing Western and Eastern cultures. Rather than imposing a strict Greek hegemony over the fallen Achaemenid Empire, Alexander chose to integrate Persian nobility into his administrative apparatus, adopted local court dress, and respected indigenous religious practices, famously sacrificing to the Egyptian god Ammon.

Alexander was also a monumental agent of urbanisation and intellectual progress. He founded over 70 cities bearing his name, most notably Alexandria in Egypt. These hubs were not mere military outposts; they were sophisticated cultural hubs equipped with theatres, gymnasia, and marketplaces. By establishing these centres, he created an interconnected commercial network that stretched from the Mediterranean to the Indus River, facilitating an unprecedented exchange of goods, languages, and ideas.

Alexander also operated as an enthusiastic patron of science. He took with him on his campaigns geographers, botanists, and historians, mapping uncharted territories and collecting scientific data that enriched the broader global consciousness.

Though his life ended prematurely in 323 BCE, his enduring achievement was launching the Hellenistic Age. He successfully dismantled the insular city-state model, replacing it with a cosmopolitan world where Greek culture, language, and thought were interwoven with Eastern traditions, setting the foundations of centuries of global history.