DOI issue:
Artykuły/Articles
DOI article:Bodzek, Jarosław: The Satraps of Caria and the Lycians in the Achaemenid Period: Where is the Numismatic Evidence?
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57341#0019
THE SATRAPS OF CARIA AND THE LYCIANS
Great Satraps Revolt in 2nd quarter of the 4th century BC.9 This mountainous country
was significantly smaller and probably poorer, but judging by its prolific coinages,
the numerous richly decorated rock-tombs, and the tributes and levies imposed on
the country and its inhabitants, there is clearly evidence that the region was quite
wealthy.10 Moreover, Lycia also had some advantages. Its strategic location on
the maritime route leading to the East gave Lycia some importance.11 Additionally,
the Lycians, tough and independent highlanders, were welcomed as allied soldiers.
During Xerxes’ expedition in 480 BC, they formed a naval contingent led by the local
leader Kybemis, son ofKossikas (Hdt. 7.98). Later Lycian contingents, commanded
by local personages, acted as allies of Persian satraps like Tissaphernes and
Autophradates both inside and outside the country.12 Finally, after almost 200 years
of some degree of autonomy, Lycia was subdued by the Persian Autophradates and
later the Carian Mausolos, being included in the satrapy of Karka in the 350s BC
as a result of the rebellion of Perikle and his participation in the so-called Great
Satraps Revolt.13 The country remained under the control of the satraps of Caria
until the region was conquered by Alexander the Great.
Both the Carians and Lycians began to strike coins at a very close time, not long
after the Persian conquest. The indigenous Carian coinage started c. 540-520 BC.14
The Lycians begun their minting activity approximately two or four decades later.15
It is not easy to draw an exact pattern of early Carian coinages.16 It is, however,
clear that the mints at Mylasa,1' and later at Halicamassos18 and Kaunos,19 operated
alongside those located in Greek cities like Knidos.20 Some of them worked for local
dynasties and tyrants.21 From the beginning of the 4th century BC, the Hekatomnids
9 On Perikle of Limyra cf. BRYCE 1980; HORNBLOWER 1982: 181f; KEEN 1998: 154ff, especially
161ff; KOLB 2018: 140ff.
10 On the possible sources and evidence of the economic condition of Lycia, cf. VISMARA-MARTINI
2001: 345 f.
11 Cf. ZAHLE 1989: 170; KEEN 1993; IDEM 1998: 3 If; VISMARA-MARTINI 2001: 346.
12 On Tissaphernes activity in Lycia cf. TAM 1:44c; KEEN 1998: 136ff; KOLB 2018: 136f. On Autophradates
in Lycia see: TAM I: 40d. 1; 61; DANDAMAYEV 1987; KEEN 1998: 170ff; SCHÜRR 2012; KOLB 2018: 143f.
13 Cf. HORNBLOWER 1982: 119ff; KEEN 1998: 171ff: TIETZ 2009: 166ff; BENDA-WEBER2005: 5Iff;
KOLB 2018: 144ff.
14 KONUK 2012: 54; cf. also IDEM 2000: 172; cf. CARRADICE 1987b: 80.
15 Cf. HILL 1897: XXVI; M0RKHOLM 1964: 68; MARTINI 1989: 18 (c. 520 BC); ZAHLE 1991: 155
(c. 510/500 BC); VISMARA 1993: 201 (c. 525 BC); MÜSELER 2016: 2ff (at around the end of the 6th century
BC); cf. also KOLB 2018: 559ff.
16 Currently the best source to explore Carian coinages is the Historia Numorum Online Website (available
at hno.huma-num.fr).
17 Cf. KONUK 2007: 472-473; IDEM 2012: 54.
18 ASHTON and KONUK 2019; cf. KAGAN and KRITT 1995.
19 KONUK 1998b; IDEM 2012: 54; cf. TROXELL 1979.
20 CAHN 1970; KONUK 2012: 54.
21 Cf. PRICE 1979; KONUK 2000: 174.
17
Great Satraps Revolt in 2nd quarter of the 4th century BC.9 This mountainous country
was significantly smaller and probably poorer, but judging by its prolific coinages,
the numerous richly decorated rock-tombs, and the tributes and levies imposed on
the country and its inhabitants, there is clearly evidence that the region was quite
wealthy.10 Moreover, Lycia also had some advantages. Its strategic location on
the maritime route leading to the East gave Lycia some importance.11 Additionally,
the Lycians, tough and independent highlanders, were welcomed as allied soldiers.
During Xerxes’ expedition in 480 BC, they formed a naval contingent led by the local
leader Kybemis, son ofKossikas (Hdt. 7.98). Later Lycian contingents, commanded
by local personages, acted as allies of Persian satraps like Tissaphernes and
Autophradates both inside and outside the country.12 Finally, after almost 200 years
of some degree of autonomy, Lycia was subdued by the Persian Autophradates and
later the Carian Mausolos, being included in the satrapy of Karka in the 350s BC
as a result of the rebellion of Perikle and his participation in the so-called Great
Satraps Revolt.13 The country remained under the control of the satraps of Caria
until the region was conquered by Alexander the Great.
Both the Carians and Lycians began to strike coins at a very close time, not long
after the Persian conquest. The indigenous Carian coinage started c. 540-520 BC.14
The Lycians begun their minting activity approximately two or four decades later.15
It is not easy to draw an exact pattern of early Carian coinages.16 It is, however,
clear that the mints at Mylasa,1' and later at Halicamassos18 and Kaunos,19 operated
alongside those located in Greek cities like Knidos.20 Some of them worked for local
dynasties and tyrants.21 From the beginning of the 4th century BC, the Hekatomnids
9 On Perikle of Limyra cf. BRYCE 1980; HORNBLOWER 1982: 181f; KEEN 1998: 154ff, especially
161ff; KOLB 2018: 140ff.
10 On the possible sources and evidence of the economic condition of Lycia, cf. VISMARA-MARTINI
2001: 345 f.
11 Cf. ZAHLE 1989: 170; KEEN 1993; IDEM 1998: 3 If; VISMARA-MARTINI 2001: 346.
12 On Tissaphernes activity in Lycia cf. TAM 1:44c; KEEN 1998: 136ff; KOLB 2018: 136f. On Autophradates
in Lycia see: TAM I: 40d. 1; 61; DANDAMAYEV 1987; KEEN 1998: 170ff; SCHÜRR 2012; KOLB 2018: 143f.
13 Cf. HORNBLOWER 1982: 119ff; KEEN 1998: 171ff: TIETZ 2009: 166ff; BENDA-WEBER2005: 5Iff;
KOLB 2018: 144ff.
14 KONUK 2012: 54; cf. also IDEM 2000: 172; cf. CARRADICE 1987b: 80.
15 Cf. HILL 1897: XXVI; M0RKHOLM 1964: 68; MARTINI 1989: 18 (c. 520 BC); ZAHLE 1991: 155
(c. 510/500 BC); VISMARA 1993: 201 (c. 525 BC); MÜSELER 2016: 2ff (at around the end of the 6th century
BC); cf. also KOLB 2018: 559ff.
16 Currently the best source to explore Carian coinages is the Historia Numorum Online Website (available
at hno.huma-num.fr).
17 Cf. KONUK 2007: 472-473; IDEM 2012: 54.
18 ASHTON and KONUK 2019; cf. KAGAN and KRITT 1995.
19 KONUK 1998b; IDEM 2012: 54; cf. TROXELL 1979.
20 CAHN 1970; KONUK 2012: 54.
21 Cf. PRICE 1979; KONUK 2000: 174.
17