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Cistophoric were called the silver coins based on the four-drachma coin (tetradrachm) of 10-12 gr, which had a half-open knitted basket with an emerging snake on the front side and two snakes twisted around a quiver on the verso. Τhey came into circulation by the king of Pergamon, Eumenes II (197-159 BC), and flooded western Asia Minor from the second half of the 2nd century BC until the Roman period. |
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Coinage changes in Asia Minor during the 3d century AD |
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The socioeconomic conditions of the 3rd century AD led the emperors to a series of monetary reforms with a view to maintaining their power and confronting the barbaric raids on the northern and eastern borders of the empire. Important coinage changes were made during Septimius Severus’ reign, a policy followed by his son, Caracalla, and his successors. The first crucial reform was made by Aurelian, whereas the final change of the monetary system was made during Diocletian’s reign. |
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Coinage of minor Hellenistic kingdoms |
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The coin issues launched by the kings of Pergamum, Bithynia, Pontus and Cappadocia played a significant role in the circulation pool in Asia Minor and they supplemented effectively the major numismatic issues struck by the Seleucids and by Lysimachus. The best-dated series, the silver coinage in the name of Mithradates VI Eupator, indicate that the bulk of coinage was intended to finance troops, yet most troops were not paid in coin. |
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Counterfeit Strong Currency in Antiquity |
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The first electrum coins (gold and silver alloy) were cut in the kingdom of Lydia or in the Greek city-states of Asia Minor during the 2nd half of the 6th c. BC. Such coins continued to be minted until the 4th c. BC in certain towns of Asia Minor although most of them were already using silver coins. |
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Gold coinage of Asia Minor before Alexander the Great |
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The ancient Greeks believed that Croesus, the king of Lydia, was the first to cut gold and silver coinage. The issue of gold coinage was later limited to the mints of Persia, whereas the cities of Asia Minor preferred the issue and circulation of silver coinage both in local and international markets. |
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Issues in the Name of Alexander |
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Α survey of recent work on the numismatic production of the mints of Alexander the Great in Asia Minor demonstrates that Alexander did not try to change the Persian habits and that he was not in a hurry to impose his own coinage. The Asia Minor mints struck all metals and denominations in the name of Alexander, both during his lifetime and after his death, i.e. posthumously; not least, they were by far the biggest contributors to the striking of silver Alexander drachms. |
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Issues of Asia Minor cities during the Roman period |
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Numismatic Art in Asia Minor (Antiquity) |
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The first coins in the Mediterranean area were cut in Asia Minor in the end of the 7th – beginning of the 6th century BC. The Greek contribution to the invention and evolution of minting was decisive, as testified both by the iconography and the inscriptions of the first coins. The 4th century was the golden age for the mints of Asia Minor. |
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