Archive – Greek Coinage
The Delian League and the Athenian Money
In 479 BC the Greeks defeated the Persians at Plataiai. At that time nobody dared to hope that the fight was so soon to end. On the contrary, every Greek city was afraid of the Persian king, who had vast resources at his disposal. He was feared to raise another army in order to conquer the whole of Greece. Something had to be done to prevent that. [ more ]
Dionysos - A God of the Greek Religion of Experiences
Most of us react uncomprehendingly while reading the Greek myths. We can't imagine that once rational human beings were able to believe in gods who behaved like characters invented for a soap opera on TV. Legends tell us about adultery, violation, theft, intrigue and fraud. [ more ]
The Colts of Corinth
This beautiful early stater of Corinth bears Pegasus on its obverse. The winged horse was the symbol of Corinth and each citizen of this important seaport felt the whole city and himself connected with this winged horse. Why did he do so and how did this connection come into being? [ more ]
Ainos - A Commercial Center in Thrace
Ainos, today called Enez and located on the border of the Aegean Sea in the European part of Turkey, didn't have any important resources. As far as we know, there also didn't exist any remarkable industry. Ainos reached incredible wealth during the 5th century B.C. despite these facts. [ more ]
I am the badge of Phanes
On March 8th, 2010, Gorny & Mosch will present a specimen of the mysterious key series of the early coin production. The Phanes stater from a private collection in Israel is estimated at 150.000 Euros. It is the ...
[ more ]
Olympia and the Eleans - The introduction of the cult of Hera
For us Olympia seems to be equivalent to the peaceful contest of all nations. In referring to ancient tradition we forget entirely that ... [ more ]
Sikyon and its Chimaira
Why do we find Chimaira on the staters of the city of Sikyon? A search for traces...
[ more ]
The Laurion silver
But one day, one noon, I believed I had found it. I was at Sounion all by myself; the summerly sun was burning; the wounded pines dripped resin... [ more ]
Heracles the snake-strangler
Herakles strangling the snakes, this subject occurs on the coins of some very important harbor towns of Asia Minor at the same time. This article will explain what’s behind it... [ more ]
The coins of Philipp II of Macedonia
Philipp II ranges amongst the most important rulers of Antiquity. He transformed the small and endangered Macedonia into one of the most powerful kingdoms of the Ancient world. His coins circulated in all of Greece and bought him what he needed - loyalty, politicians, mercenary soldiers... [ more ]
The coins of Alexander III the Great of Macedonia
Few historical figures have spurred people’s imagination like Alexander, King of the Macedonians. Up to the present day, his coins range amongst those every coin collector likes to add to his collection. Fortunately, these pieces come in great numbers, so that every collector can afford at least one specimen! [ more ]
Under the eyes of Artemis
The upcoming sale of Numismatica Genevensis SA on November 30, 2010 offers a unique gold stater struck by the citizens of Abydos. Here’s the story behind... [ more ]
Big price for an emergency coin
The city of Syracuse issued a marvelous gold coin during its war against the Carthaginians. A perfect specimen of this emission sold for 66.700 Euro during the last auction sale of Gorny & Mosch... [ more ]
And this is where Aristotle was wrong…
Aristotle, in his work on the structure of the Tarentine government, likewise described the coins of the city. He remarked that they depicted Taras, son of Poseidon, riding a dolphin. Was he right? Or is there another, more possible, option? [ more ]
80,000 Euros for a work of two Sicilian die cutters
For an impressive amount of money some extraordinary Greek coins were auctioned at Gorny & Mosch’s, Giessener Münzhandlung on October 10. One of them is a remarkable tetradrachm from Syracuse whose story you will read here… [ more ]
Alexander of Abonuteichos – a lesson from Asia Minor about gullibility in the 2nd cent. A. D.
You are one of those people who believe than there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy? Well, you are in accordance with a deep-seated tradition and can appeal to the fact that already in antiquity there were people who thought the same as you. .. [ more ]
Great is Artemis of the Ephesians
On his visit to Ephesus, St. Paul was in imminent danger to be lynched. Why was it that the Ephesians felt so threatened by this herald of a new god? Were they more pious than other Greeks? They were, in a way, since they lived on their religion… [ more ]
“Sing, Muse, of the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles…”
You believe that Paris abducted Helena? Which was why the Greek destroyed Troy? What if it was completely different? The later Trojans in Roman Imperial Times adhered to an entirely different version of the story – and so they celebrated their hero Hector on their coins. [ more ]
Bread for Tarsus
In the 3th cent., Asia Minor was famine-stricken. The city of Tarsus scored a coup that made the emperor leave the grain necessary for survival to it at a cheap rate. A coin tells of how that was achieved. [ more ]
A King Named Teutamados
Beyond his name, there’s very little known about Teutamados. What we do have, however, is a splendid tetradrachm minted for him. Based on this, he was evidently a Paionian ruler. [ more ]
The ‘Modest Aphrodite’ from Nysa-Scythopolis (Beth Shean) and Ptolemais (Akko)
A comparison between a statue of Aphrodite found at Beth Shean and a coin type from the mint of Ptolemais reminds us of the realistic nature of statues appearing on city coins. [ more ]
Human Faces Part 2: Athena and Athens
Why is it that for centuries – or rather thousands of years – the head has served as the motif for the side of a coin? And why has this changed in the last 200 years? Ursula Kampmann poses these questions in her book ‘MenschenGesichter,’ from which the texts for our new series are taken. [ more ]
Forth known stater of Phanes sold for 345.000 Euro
All attendants of the sale Gorny & Mosch, Munich 185 were thrilled, when lot no. 146 was opened on March 8th, 2010... [ more ]
The Amazons – Mysterious Warrior Maidens
The historical museum of Speyer presents objects, which have never before been shown in public and which shall proof that the amazons once existed...
[ more ]
The Immortal Alexander the Great – The myth, the reality, his journey, his legacy
Did you like our last article of the week? Now you have the chance to see originals of that period in Amsterdam! [ more ]
Heracles to Alexander the Great: Treasures from the Royal Capital of Macedon, a Hellenic Kingdom in the Age of Democracy
The Ashmolean Museum in Oxford presents a unique exhibition on the Macedonian kingdom. Over five hundred treasures will be on display, all recently found in the royal burial tombs and the palace of Aegae... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 6
What is there to be found in Pherai, the city where once upon a time such beautiful coins were produced, like the ones that reached record prices in Zurich only recently? Does reality match up with the coins’ testimony? But first a trip to Mount Olympus. [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 8
Illustrious names spring to mind when thinking of Chalkidiki. Akanthos and Terone, Uranopolis and Olynthos. But not everywhere reality answers expectations… [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 9
Stageira, Neapolis, Mesembria, Maroneia and Abdera – these are today’s destinations. We see magnificent archaeological excavations that are particularly well-kept. On the other hand, we experience some a disappointment. As always, it is going to be a colorful kaleidoscope with impressions from Northern Greece... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 10
Amphipolis and Philippi are the destinations of issue no. 10. They were once incredibly rich cities whose citizens earned their living with the trade of gold, silver and building timber. .. [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 11
Our journey home from Northern Greece to Loerrach took six days – and it was an adventure. This is part one, from Macedonia to Delphi: we visit Pella, suffer a Greek village festival and arrive at the hot sources at the Thermopylae. In addition, Thebes and Chaironea are on our agenda... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 7
Today’s stage takes us to several highlights of the journey: a peak of kindness in Pydna, a touristic highlight in the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki and a climax of the fight about the Greek austerity package... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 5
The fifth stage of our journey is dedicated to Dion, perhaps the most beautiful excavation in Northern Greece. And Dion was important in antiquity: Alexander sacrificed to Zeus in Dion, before he set out to conquer the world... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 4
On the fourth stage of her journey throughout Greece, Ursula Kampmann is looking for the ancient Aigai (one of so many…), an open museum and the magnificent tombs of Vergina... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 3
During her third stage of the journey throughout Greece, Ursula Kampmann visits Ioannina where she meets numismatist Katerini Liampi. The local museum is richly equipped with coins. Great mosques refer to the Ottoman heritage, the Kastro to the “Mohammedan Napoleon”... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 2
During the second stage of Ursula Kampmann’s journey to Greece, she wades through icy-cold Acheron, River of the Dead, descends to the realm of the dead and visits the oak of Dodona. There she introduces us to the world of ancient oracles... [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 1
The first stage of Ursula Kampmann’s journey to Greece takes her from Venice to Igoumenitsa and Nicopolis up to Ambracia. Hidden mosaics and fateful padlocks render the area’s visit quite difficult. But there is enough left to discover! [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece – Part 12
The last stage of our journey throughout Greece takes us to Delphi. On our trip back, however, we were in danger of faring like Odysseus who, when heading home, was carried off course… [ more ]
Sagalassos – City of Dreams. The ‘Pompeii of Anatolia’ in exhibition
The Gallo-Romeins Museum in Tongeren, Belgium, holds an exhibition on the ancient city of Sagalassos. The exhibition runs from October 29, 2011 to June 17, 2012 and shows mega-images and hundreds of objects... [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009) – Part 1
It’s grey, it’s cold, it’s dark. Sometimes you don’t believe that it’s ever going to be light again. Enjoy a little breeze of the Turkish summer in the dead of winter. This diary of some numismatically highly interesting but barely visited sites in Turkey was written in 2009. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009) – Part 2
Silifke, ancient Seleucia on the Calycadnus, is a small provincial town in the middle of nowhere nearby which once Frederick Barbarossa drowned. Follow us on our way to the ancient metropolis Antioch and into the marvellous grove of Daphne, that even today is in the modern Antiochenes’ favour as an important area for recreation. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009) – Part 3
Do you know Antep and its fabulous museum with mosaics? If not, I strongly recommend it to you. Antep is a pleasant town where you quickly feel at home. Urfa, ancient Edessa, in contrast, can’t be recommended for women traveling on their own. And if you do, you will need steady nerves. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009) – Part 4
Only a few images stick to your mind so powerfully as the huge heads of the broken monumental statues of Nemrut Dag. During our trip there, however, we have seen many other things: marvelous rocky landscapes, a magnificent bridge from Roman Times and lots of friendly people. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009) – Part 5
Caesarea Cappadocia – only few cities in the Roman provinces possessed an equally comprehensive coinage yet barely anything Roman is still extant in the city. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009) – Part 6
Ankyra is a name familiar to anyone interested in the history of the Roman emperors. The Monumentum Ancyranum is a magnificent insight into the image cultivation of Emperor Augustus. Turkish Ankara, however, has much more to offer. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009) – Part 7
You don’t have to introduce Istanbul. Everyone knows the beautiful city at Bosporus River. This was our last stop on our journey across Turkey. After having been to areas with barely any touristic infrastructure it was almost a civilization shock to finally get anything again a tourist would wish. [ more ]
Temple of Aphrodite in Thessaloniki cleansed
When we reported on a citizen initiative in Thessaloniki aiming at the rescue of a Greek temple, we had not thought that we would be really of help to those people. But we were: they were officially permitted to act by themselves. How? Read it here. [ more ]
International Congress on electrum coins at Israel Museum, Jerusalem
The new coin exhibition “White Gold: Revealing the World’s Earliest Coins” will formally open on June 26, 2012 at the renewed exhibition space of the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. On this occasion a two-day international congress will be held. [ more ]
White Gold – exhibition in the Israel Museum
Electrum coins are among the most fascinating coinages because they are right at the beginning of Western numismatics. Unfortunately the decisive facts are still contested. The Israel Museum has just opened an exhibition on electrum issues and on that occasion held an important congress. [ more ]
Diary of a numismatist travelling Turkey (2009)
In the summer 2009 Ursula Kampmann travelled through Turkey – of course searching for numismatic traces as she always does. She condensed her impressions in a diary whose single parts we have gathered here. [ more ]
Numismatic diary of a journey throughout Greece (2011)
In summer 2011 Ursula Kampmann travelled Greece writing about her numismatic – and other – experiences a vivid diary. Here are all part gathered. [ more ]
Jerusalem Electrum Congress Films online
In June 2012 an electrum congress took place in Jerusalem generating new discussions and giving many fresh ideas on this topic. Now videos show all papers given during this event. [ more ]
Basel displays objects from desert town Petra
Until March 17, 2013 the Antikenmuseum Basel displays an exhibition about Petra, capital of the Nabataeans in the Jordanian desert. Nabataean art and many events take the visitors into a remote world. [ more ]
French National Library puts 130,000 coins online
The French National Library is making available 130,000 Greek and Roman provincial coins in an online database. This monumental project is expected to be concluded by the end of 2013, but numerous coins are searchable already. [ more ]