DOI issue:
Artykuły / Articles
DOI article:Van Alfen, Peter G.: Problems in the political economy of archaic greek coinage
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22230#0031
PROBLEMS IN THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF ARCHAIC GREEK COINAGE
But even as monopolies were being established and coinages becoming morę
firmly tied to civic identities, policy makers were still faced with the problem of
how best to pursue their ends with the means available. A number of series of
archaic coinages indicate that the limits of monopolistic power and identity were
continuously being tested, for example:
1) Around 500 BCE, an unknown number of Lesbian poleis were involved
in the production of a large series of bilion coins meant strictly for circulation in
Lesbos and its mainland territory (PI. 3, Fig. 16). At the same time Methymna
produced a civic silver issue (PI. 3, Fig. 17), while Mytilene was involved in the
production of yet a third coinage, a joint electrum issue with Phokaia, 80 km to the
south (PI. 4, Fig. 18).49 Both the silver and the electrum circulated widely beyond
Fesbos. If the Mytileneans were involved in the production of the bilion issues,
their monetary activity simultaneously involved the minting of two mutually ex-
clusive types of coinage, both of which reąuired close formal coordination with
other communities.
2) Polykrates, the tyrant of Samos and Aegean thalassocrat, oversaw the pro-
duction of a “flying boar” silver series c. 525 BC; Klazomenai, and lalysos also
produced flying boar coinages (PI. 4, Fig. 19-21).50 The harmony of iconogra-
phy, although not unusual for the archaic period, is suggestive in this case sińce
Polykrates ruled for a while over neighboring islands, including Rhodes. Disso-
nance in the weight standards, however, means that the three coinages were not
interchangeable. Presuming there was a formal arrangement, or hegemonie direc-
tive, linking all three coinages to a common cause (supporting the tyranfs navy?),
the outeome was not efficient, indicating serious problems in coordination or en-
forcement.
3) Eretria and Chalcis on Euboia both begin minting at about the same time;
both closely followed (or vice versa?) coin developments across the channel in
Athens. By c. 525 BCE all three communities were producing coins on the same
weight standard with identical fabrics; Euboean colonies in the Chalcidice fol-
lowed suit, adopting in one case (Dikaiai) the types of Eretria (PI. 4, Fig. 22-24).51
The creation of a Euboean-Attic monetary zonę, if it was not officially formalized,
49 See MACKIL, P. VAN ALFEN, “Cooperative coinage” for a discussion of the political economy of
this Mytilene-Phokaia cooperative coinage. For the coinage itself see F. BODENSTEDT, Die Elektronmiinzen
von Phokaia und Mytilene, Tubingen 1981. For an overview of the bilion and Methymnian silver coinages see
O. HOOVER, The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series, volume 6: handbook of coins of the islands: Adriatic,
Iionian, Thracian, Aegean, and Carpathian seas (excluding Crete and Cyprus), sixth to first centuries BC, Lan-
caster 2010.
50 For the "flying boar” coinages see J.P. BARRON, The silver coins of Samos, London 1966; KRAAY,
Archaic and Classical Greek Coins...', and E. ISIK, Friihe Silberprdgungen in Stadten Westkleinasiens, Saar-
brucken 2003.
51 See KRAAY, Archaic and Classical Greek Coins, for the issues of Euboia and Dikaia.
But even as monopolies were being established and coinages becoming morę
firmly tied to civic identities, policy makers were still faced with the problem of
how best to pursue their ends with the means available. A number of series of
archaic coinages indicate that the limits of monopolistic power and identity were
continuously being tested, for example:
1) Around 500 BCE, an unknown number of Lesbian poleis were involved
in the production of a large series of bilion coins meant strictly for circulation in
Lesbos and its mainland territory (PI. 3, Fig. 16). At the same time Methymna
produced a civic silver issue (PI. 3, Fig. 17), while Mytilene was involved in the
production of yet a third coinage, a joint electrum issue with Phokaia, 80 km to the
south (PI. 4, Fig. 18).49 Both the silver and the electrum circulated widely beyond
Fesbos. If the Mytileneans were involved in the production of the bilion issues,
their monetary activity simultaneously involved the minting of two mutually ex-
clusive types of coinage, both of which reąuired close formal coordination with
other communities.
2) Polykrates, the tyrant of Samos and Aegean thalassocrat, oversaw the pro-
duction of a “flying boar” silver series c. 525 BC; Klazomenai, and lalysos also
produced flying boar coinages (PI. 4, Fig. 19-21).50 The harmony of iconogra-
phy, although not unusual for the archaic period, is suggestive in this case sińce
Polykrates ruled for a while over neighboring islands, including Rhodes. Disso-
nance in the weight standards, however, means that the three coinages were not
interchangeable. Presuming there was a formal arrangement, or hegemonie direc-
tive, linking all three coinages to a common cause (supporting the tyranfs navy?),
the outeome was not efficient, indicating serious problems in coordination or en-
forcement.
3) Eretria and Chalcis on Euboia both begin minting at about the same time;
both closely followed (or vice versa?) coin developments across the channel in
Athens. By c. 525 BCE all three communities were producing coins on the same
weight standard with identical fabrics; Euboean colonies in the Chalcidice fol-
lowed suit, adopting in one case (Dikaiai) the types of Eretria (PI. 4, Fig. 22-24).51
The creation of a Euboean-Attic monetary zonę, if it was not officially formalized,
49 See MACKIL, P. VAN ALFEN, “Cooperative coinage” for a discussion of the political economy of
this Mytilene-Phokaia cooperative coinage. For the coinage itself see F. BODENSTEDT, Die Elektronmiinzen
von Phokaia und Mytilene, Tubingen 1981. For an overview of the bilion and Methymnian silver coinages see
O. HOOVER, The Handbook of Greek Coinage Series, volume 6: handbook of coins of the islands: Adriatic,
Iionian, Thracian, Aegean, and Carpathian seas (excluding Crete and Cyprus), sixth to first centuries BC, Lan-
caster 2010.
50 For the "flying boar” coinages see J.P. BARRON, The silver coins of Samos, London 1966; KRAAY,
Archaic and Classical Greek Coins...', and E. ISIK, Friihe Silberprdgungen in Stadten Westkleinasiens, Saar-
brucken 2003.
51 See KRAAY, Archaic and Classical Greek Coins, for the issues of Euboia and Dikaia.