Darius I introduced the daric as a gold coin in the Achaemenid Persian Empire.
The coin was probably named after Darius, whose reign lasted from 522 to 486 BCE. Darics became an important part of the empire’s monetary system and circulated widely beyond Persia through trade, military payments, and tribute.
A daric usually showed a Persian king or warrior holding a bow, which is why numismatists sometimes describe the design as the “archer” type. The reverse normally carried an incuse punch rather than a detailed image.
The daric is often confused with the silver siglos. Both were Achaemenid coins, but the daric was gold while the siglos was silver. Ancient writers also used the daric as a unit of value when discussing Persian wealth and payments.