In the wake of the Persian Wars, the wine trade began to flourish, with Samos and Mendi strengthening their presence along Chios and Lesvos. As early as the 6th c BC, Greek “wine” coinage makes its appearance in various regions such as Sicily, Thrace, Thessaly and the Aegean, depicting themes inspired from vine and wine. Most of the finds involving “wine” coinage date from the following century (around 480 BC), and provide significant information on the wine industry and the local economies and societies that minted them. Predominant themes depicted are the votrys (bunch of grapes), wine vessels (kantharos, krater), and scenes from celebrations which were part of the cult of Dionysus.