DOI article:
Lichocka, Barbara: Coinage in Cyprus in the reign of Hadrian
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21230#0169
In generał, Hadrian's financial policy was not characterized by clo-
sing provincial mints. On the contrary, they became more numerous in
his reign (163) than in Trajan's (141).2 Concerning the local Cypriot
coinage, its suspension involved the closing of one or two mints: at Pa-
phos and/or Salamis.
Paphos had the status of metropolis? but in an inscription dating to
AD 123,4 Salamis also is described as the metropolis of Cyprus, Krjjtpoi)
Was this in fact the case?3 According to T. B. Mitford and I.
Nicolaou, it was an expression of Salamis' claim, which Hadrian event-
ually disappointed.5 It remains unclear whether or not Salamis is called
metropolis in rwo other documents from the reigns of Vespasian (ca. AD
70-72)7 and Hadrian (AD 129-130).8
It is possible that the status of the principal city of a province9 was
advantageous in acąuiring the right to strike coins. This was certainly
considered a prestigious charter.10 The aspirations of the two Cypriot
2 The figures are ąuoted from W. Leschhorn, "Le monnayage imperial d'Asie Mineure et la
statistiąue", in: Pact 5. Statistiąue et Numismatiąue. Table ronde organise par le Centrę de Mathema-
tiąue Sociale et 1'Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales de Paris et le Seminaire de Numismatique
Marcel Hoc de l'Universite Catholiąue de Louvain (Strasbourg 1981), p. 254, table.
3 Cf. the sources ci ted by E. Mayer, "Paphos", in: Der Kleine Pauly. Lexikon derAntikeW
(Munich 1979) [further cited: Mayer], col. 486; T.B. Mitford, "Roman Cyprus", in: Aufstieg
und Niedergang der rómischen Welt II, 7.2, ed. H. Temporini (Berlin and New York 1980)
[further cited: Mitford], pp. 1311-1312, esp. note 88.
4 Famagusta, District Museum, Field No. 11: T.B. Mitford, I. Nicolaou, Salamis 6. The
Greek and Latin Inscriptions from Salamis (Nicosia 1974) [further cited: Mitford and Nicola-
ou], pp. 119-121, No. 92, PI. XVI.4;J. Pouilloux, P. Roesch, J. Marcillet-Jaubert,.SV//flm/nc de
ChypreXIll. Testimonia Salaminia 2 (Paris 1987) [further cited: Testimonia Salaminia 2], pp.
62-63, No. 140, p. 15; cf. also below, note 59.
5 The title of metropolis is only attested for Salamis/Constantia in the fourth century; see
M.-J. Chavane, M. Yon, Salamine de ChypreX. Testimonia Salaminia 1 (Paris 1978), p. 10, No. 5.
6 Mitford and Nicolaou, p. 120; Mitford, p. 1323.
' Testimonia Salaminia 2, p. 62, No. 138, PI. 14.
8 Testimonia Salaminia 2, p. 63, No. 142.
9 Cf. the rivalry over the title of metropolis among the cities in Asia Minor, see D. Magie,
Roman Rule in Asia Minor (Princeton 1950) [further cited: Magie] I, pp. 533, 588, 635-637,
II, p. 97; P. Petit, Pax Romana (Paris 1967) [further cited: Petit], pp. 101-102.
10 C. J. Howgego, Greek Imperial Countermarks: Studies in the Provincial Coins of the Roman
Empire (London 1985) [further cited: Howgego], p. 25; id., "Why did the Ancient States Strike
Coins?", NumChron 150 (1990) [further cited: Howgego, "Why"], p; 20; K. Harl, Civic Coins
and Civic Politics in the Roman East, AD 180-275 (Berkeley, Los Angeles and London 1987)
[further cited: Harl], pp. 22-23.
169
sing provincial mints. On the contrary, they became more numerous in
his reign (163) than in Trajan's (141).2 Concerning the local Cypriot
coinage, its suspension involved the closing of one or two mints: at Pa-
phos and/or Salamis.
Paphos had the status of metropolis? but in an inscription dating to
AD 123,4 Salamis also is described as the metropolis of Cyprus, Krjjtpoi)
Was this in fact the case?3 According to T. B. Mitford and I.
Nicolaou, it was an expression of Salamis' claim, which Hadrian event-
ually disappointed.5 It remains unclear whether or not Salamis is called
metropolis in rwo other documents from the reigns of Vespasian (ca. AD
70-72)7 and Hadrian (AD 129-130).8
It is possible that the status of the principal city of a province9 was
advantageous in acąuiring the right to strike coins. This was certainly
considered a prestigious charter.10 The aspirations of the two Cypriot
2 The figures are ąuoted from W. Leschhorn, "Le monnayage imperial d'Asie Mineure et la
statistiąue", in: Pact 5. Statistiąue et Numismatiąue. Table ronde organise par le Centrę de Mathema-
tiąue Sociale et 1'Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales de Paris et le Seminaire de Numismatique
Marcel Hoc de l'Universite Catholiąue de Louvain (Strasbourg 1981), p. 254, table.
3 Cf. the sources ci ted by E. Mayer, "Paphos", in: Der Kleine Pauly. Lexikon derAntikeW
(Munich 1979) [further cited: Mayer], col. 486; T.B. Mitford, "Roman Cyprus", in: Aufstieg
und Niedergang der rómischen Welt II, 7.2, ed. H. Temporini (Berlin and New York 1980)
[further cited: Mitford], pp. 1311-1312, esp. note 88.
4 Famagusta, District Museum, Field No. 11: T.B. Mitford, I. Nicolaou, Salamis 6. The
Greek and Latin Inscriptions from Salamis (Nicosia 1974) [further cited: Mitford and Nicola-
ou], pp. 119-121, No. 92, PI. XVI.4;J. Pouilloux, P. Roesch, J. Marcillet-Jaubert,.SV//flm/nc de
ChypreXIll. Testimonia Salaminia 2 (Paris 1987) [further cited: Testimonia Salaminia 2], pp.
62-63, No. 140, p. 15; cf. also below, note 59.
5 The title of metropolis is only attested for Salamis/Constantia in the fourth century; see
M.-J. Chavane, M. Yon, Salamine de ChypreX. Testimonia Salaminia 1 (Paris 1978), p. 10, No. 5.
6 Mitford and Nicolaou, p. 120; Mitford, p. 1323.
' Testimonia Salaminia 2, p. 62, No. 138, PI. 14.
8 Testimonia Salaminia 2, p. 63, No. 142.
9 Cf. the rivalry over the title of metropolis among the cities in Asia Minor, see D. Magie,
Roman Rule in Asia Minor (Princeton 1950) [further cited: Magie] I, pp. 533, 588, 635-637,
II, p. 97; P. Petit, Pax Romana (Paris 1967) [further cited: Petit], pp. 101-102.
10 C. J. Howgego, Greek Imperial Countermarks: Studies in the Provincial Coins of the Roman
Empire (London 1985) [further cited: Howgego], p. 25; id., "Why did the Ancient States Strike
Coins?", NumChron 150 (1990) [further cited: Howgego, "Why"], p; 20; K. Harl, Civic Coins
and Civic Politics in the Roman East, AD 180-275 (Berkeley, Los Angeles and London 1987)
[further cited: Harl], pp. 22-23.
169