The “Third Democracy” is a classification used for the coins of Syracuse. This is specifically applied to coinage struck under Timoleon (ca. 344-317 BC). Coins from this era are routinely labeled “Timoleon and the Third Democracy” in auction catalogs. It is probably worth noting that “Third Democracy” is a modern analytical label, not an ancient one. The term applied to this coin from Syracuse prompted today's exploration of the tyrants and democracies of Syracuse...

In the late fourth to early third century BC, amid the shifting alliances and hard-fought wars that would determine the destiny of southern Italy, the Greek city of Neapolis struck a series of silver nomoi whose beauty and symbolism remain among the most evocative of Magna Graecia. This coin preserves the identity of an independent Greek polis negotiating the rise of Roman power, preserving local myth, and asserting civic pride through images deeply rooted in Neapolitan memor

National Archaeological Museum of Naples. From Boscoreale, Villa of P. Fannius Synistor. Personifications of Macedonia (on the left) and Persia (or Asia, seated); or possibly a representation of the Macedonian ruler (see the circular shield with a star), or Antigonus Gonatas and his mother Phila. Public Domain image via Wikimedia Commons . According to Greek belief, Pan could cause irrational terror in humans and animals, especially when his midday rest was disturbed. His sud

The Temple of Hera (“Tavole Palatine”), late 6th-century BCE Doric sanctuary near Metaponto (ancient Metapontion/Metapontum), Basilicata,...

Today's post begins with the hope of making some sense of the weight standards for a set of staters in my collection. A number of questions started this deep dive: What weight standards did the ancient Greeks use for ancient Greek coins? Why are these standards named the way they are today? What sources are the most useful to understand these standards? When did each standard come into use and who initiated the standard? What are the the various denominations used for ancie

Kings of Macedon, Alexander III 'the Great' (336-323 BC), lifetime issue from 325 or 324/3 BCE, AR (17.24g, 27mm) Tetradrachm, minted in...

Kings of Mauretania, Bocchus II (or early Juba II) ŠMŠ mint Shemesh, circa 49-33 BC, Æ 16.00mm, 3.53 g Obv: Bearded head left,...

In 133 BCE, King Attalos III of Pergamum died without an heir and bequeathed his entire kingdom to Rome. Aristonikos, who claimed to be an illegitimate son of Attalos’ father King Eumenes II, rose to challenge Rome’s takeover. Aristonikos took the dynastic name Eumenes III, presenting himself as the rightful king and rallying support for his cause.

The Queen of Sheba: according to the biblical narrative (2 Chronicles 9:1-12; 1 Kings 10:1-13), the Queen of Sheba learns of King Solomon...

Kroton (aka Croton, which today is modern Crotone in Calabria, Italy) was founded around 710 BC by Achaean Greek settlers, according ...

Today's note is all about the pomegranate and more than 300 years of coins from Side (Σίδη), Pamphylia (Παμφυλία). For those who would...

Cilicia was a Persian military base in the 4th century BC and after Alexander defeated Achaemennid King Darius III at Issos it was...

2024 has had ups and downs - it seems that every year I start with same thought. This has been an unusual year with and earth quake,...

A nice glass of red wine would go well with today's post. There is evidence of wine making in Thrace from 4300 BC. The coins of interest...

Today's coin of interest was minted by Mazaeus who served as Satrap of Cilicia for Darius III of Persia and for Alexander III who...

The site of Kebren is located in the central area of the Troad, on the slopes of Çal Dağ, which translates to "mountain of shrubs", a weste

When is a coin ancient? and when medieval? and when modern? In my notes, I am often crossing these categories, although Roman Republic...

The curious type of the Hydria is taken from the παράσημον (insignia) of the City of Crannon. It was customary in the time of drought ...

"Better one sparrow in thy hand than a thousand on the wing" - Proverbs of Ahikar the Wise, 6th Century Assyria, #51

Humans have been making images of cattle for many millennia - this painting from Lascaux caves depicts aurochs (wild ancestors of domesticated cattle), horses and deer. The Magdalénien people of the Upper Paleolithic in western Europe that produced these paintings are estimated to have lived 12,000-17,000 years ago. Image from Prof. Saxx of a Lascaux cave painting, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons My latest ancient coin has a beautiful image of a bull facing on the obver