Penning van de Universiteit van Leiden, met de namen van de hoogleraren en Minerva 1685 - 1720

This Leiden University commemorative coin, made anonymously in the seventeenth century, features the goddess Minerva at its heart, surrounded by the names of the professors. Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, strategic warfare, and the arts, stands as a powerful symbol of intellectual prowess and enlightenment, a direct legacy from her Greek predecessor, Athena. Note how she's holding a spear in one hand and a shield in the other, evoking a sense of knowledge as a form of defense. This iconography can be traced back to ancient sculptures and vase paintings, yet its presence here reflects a Renaissance revival of classical ideals, deeply interwoven with humanist values. The image invites reflection on how societies have continually looked to classical antiquity to legitimize and celebrate their intellectual pursuits. The choice of Minerva isn't just aesthetic; it's a deliberate invocation of the past to empower the present, demonstrating how symbols persist, adapt, and are perpetually reborn across the vast expanse of cultural memory.