The planet closest to the sun is Mercury. His Greek equivalent was Helios, who also appeared on coins particularly those from Rhodes, which had a colossal statue of Helios. Rays of light surround his head, and he is driving the chariot which carries him across the sky.
Here is Sol, the Invincible Sun, on an antoninians of Probus. The sun was a major deity to many cultures, including that of Rome.
Obviously, there is no question about when the sun was discovered! The Sunīut before we get to the planets, what about the centre of the solar system, the body after which it is named, our sun? 93 million miles away, so far that it takes eight minutes for its rays to reach us, yet still the source of almost all our light and life.
The Greeks and Romans knew five planets, which they thought of as wandering stars in fact, the word comes from the Greek πλανητης (planetes), meaning 'wanderer.' Although some of the planets were unknown to the Romans, all but one of these deities are represented on Roman coins. Sol driving a quadriga towards the viewer.
