Bibil Identifier |
bibil:217342 |
Publication Type |
Journal article |
Title (French, Long) |
Le reflet des crises de l'époque achéménide dans le monnayage chypriote |
Author |
Destrooper-Georgiades, A. |
Journal |
Transeuphratène (Volume: 40) |
Year (Publication) |
2011 |
Year (Original (1st Edition)) |
2011 |
Year (Copyright) |
2011 |
Year (Reference) |
2011 |
Language |
French |
Pages |
47-59 Pages |
Genre |
Original |
Notes |
Planches II-IV. |
Abstract |
The Cypriot coinage is one of the sources, sometimes the only one, which reflects the political and economical crises which occurred during the Achaemenid period in Cyprus. The period between 450 and 350 B.C. is examined in particular. A unique coin, bearing the types of Evagoras I of Salamis and of Paphos might reflect the alliance between Evagoras and the Paphians against the king of Kition, Melkiathon. The hoarded, isolated and overstruck coins of Evagoras I found in Cilicia seem to confirm the expedition of Evagoras in Cilicia, which is only attested by Isocrates but put in doubt by many modern scholars. Already during the second half of the 5th century, the political crisis in Salamis is reflected by the lack of coinage in this mint. On the other hand the coins overstruck in Kition and in Paphos during the same period might be due to a shortage of silver, the only metal in which the coins are struck at that time but which they have lacked in Cyprus. This economical crisis might be due to a political crisis. During the 4th century, gold and bronze coins are also struck in some mints. In Paphos and in Kition, many coins are made of bronze and in Kition many gold coins were also struck, while silver coins are rare in these mints. In some mints the weight standard changed from the heavy local standard to the lighter Chian standard. It is clear that the shortage of silver is not the only explanation for this change of metal and/or weight standard. Since the beginning of the Cypriot coinage, at the end of the 6th century, there was a trust crisis in the Cypriot coinage abroad and in Cyprus, as the test-marks on the coins indicate. These test-marks showed clearly if a coin was plated or not. This latter practice coudl be done by deceitful people as the fake test-mark on a plated coin, struck already before 500, points out. |
Keywords |
Thesaurus BiBIL : Unbound Keywords : Cyprus Thesaurus BiBIL : Unbound Keywords : Numismatics |
Last modification |
2017-10-27 |
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