Coins from Elis
Various series of silver coins were minted to a large extent from the ancient city of Elis . The staters were double drachms and their coin base was based on the Aiginetic standard with a weight of approx. 12.2 g. The piece included lung drachma , Hemidrachme and Obol . However, smaller fractions were minted to a much smaller extent and played a subordinate role in the issue.
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Numismatic history
The minting of Elian coins most likely started shortly after the city of Elis was founded around 471 BC. A. During this time, an extensive restructuring of the tribal association apparently took place. The construction of the Temple of Zeus in Olympia , which then began, suggests that the Eleans were becoming increasingly prosperous. This increasing political claim to validity of the polis can be seen as an important aspect for the start of the production of a representative series of coins.
As in the rest of the Peloponnese , in the first half of the 4th century BC. A kind of heyday in coinage. After the end of the Peloponnesian War , which had a major impact on the local economy, individual political entities were now granted more independence. However, this led to a conflict between Elis and the Arcadian League , which began in 365 BC. Attacked the Elish area. Olympia was occupied and a kind of “puppet regime” was established in Pisa that would take control of the sanctuary. As payment for the Arcadian protectors, the only known Peloponnesian gold coins (trihemiobols and obols) were minted. For these coins, however, the gold from the temple treasures was misused, which other Poleis viewed as sacrilege, which then forced the Arcadian League to give up the occupation.
After this short interim phase, the Eleans minted further independent coin series up to the end of the third century BC. At the latest 191 BC. After Elis was forced to join the Achaean covenant , the minting of the silver staters specific to Elis ended.
Temple coins?
Almost all Elish coins have a direct motivic reference to the two main Olympic deities Zeus and Hera . The minting of Elean coins is therefore closely related to Olympia, the main sanctuary of the region. CT Seltman derived the idea from this in 1913 that the Elish coins were so-called "temple coins". Since then, numerous numismatists have followed this theory. According to this view, two separate mints can be identified, depending on which deity the front motif refers to. So there was an associated workshop for both the Zeus and Hera temples, in which the corresponding coins were produced.
It makes sense to assume Olympia and not the city of Elis as the minting location, after all, neither Zeus nor Hera are the main deities of Elis. Olympia was central to the Elean tribe. In addition to the Olympic Games , state acts of sovereignty took place in the area of the sanctuary. In addition, a large market was regularly held during the games. In the sanctuary, numerous visitors, pilgrims and travelers had to be looked after all year round. The time of the festival in particular was associated with a great organizational effort for the organizing Eleer. This resulted in a disproportionately high demand for coins, which could explain the benefits of locally operating minting workshops in the area of the sanctuary. The Elish state was able to stipulate that only coins according to the Elish standard could be used for financial transactions within Olympia and on the market. With this in mind, national coin feet could be exchanged for local ones when entering the sanctuary. Melting down coins from other Greek cities may therefore provide a large part of the metal for flintlets to mint own coins.
The assumption that the manufacture of Elish coins was located after Olympia can be countered by the fact that industrial activities in a sanctuary seem rather unsuitable. So far, the German excavators Olympias have not been able to find any archaeological traces that indicate coin production. However, it cannot be ruled out that the embossing workshops could have been located further outside in the periphery of the sanctuary.
Likewise, the question of whether the individual coins can be assigned separately to the respective temples has not yet been finally clarified. "Temple coins" were most likely minted from the financial resources of a sanctuary, the so-called "temple treasure" of the god. The name of the god would normally be indicated in the genitive on the coins as the minting authority. However, the name of Zeus ( Greek ΔΙΟΣ) or Hera (Greek ΗΡΑΣ) cannot be found on any Olympic coinage . Instead, the legend (ϜΑ) identifies the Eleer tribe as being responsible for minting coins. The link between the representation of the coin and the temple cannot be proven with absolute certainty. For example, the image of Hera on some Elish coins could only represent one of various motivic facets that relate to the main Olympian god Zeus.
Motifs and dates of the coins
The coin series from Elis impress with their artistic quality and the variety of motifs shown. In research, the chronological classification of the individual series within the minting period is controversial. Most of the attempts are still based on the relative chronology that Seltman had worked out numismatically as early as 1921 . A problem for the dating and the establishment of an absolute chronology are the often missing stamp couplings, which is why Seltman had to orient himself to stylistic criteria, the chronological sequence of which cannot be determined with absolute certainty.
Especially with regard to the minting rhythms and the coin emission, which apparently did not go far beyond the heartland, the question of whether the Eleans minted coins only or preferably in connection with the hosting of the Olympic Games is important. The relationship between the coins issued and the Games has not been established and it is therefore problematic to relate the coins chronologically to certain Olympiads . It can also be assumed that the Elish state had other important reasons for establishing its own coinage in addition to the Games (e.g. construction work in Elis and Olympia). In order to differentiate the individual motifs from one another, it makes sense to classify them in different phases.
As the earliest Elish coinage after 471 BC A series of coins is valid, which without exception depicts the eagle of Zeus on the obverse . This picture theme is continuously shaped in different ways of representation for about 50 years. Always shown is an eagle that has captured something (snake, hare, lamb, turtle). The eagle is worked out either with its wings outstretched or put on, or standing on the ground, tearing its prey. There are also a few portraits that only show the eagle's head. The different depictions of eagles are regarded as a criterion for the chronological differentiation of individual series within the early coinage. The pictures are detailed and suggest a very precise observation of nature. The lapel of the “eagle coins” mainly shows the lightning bolt of Zeus. The ornamental appearance of the so-called “fire flower” as an insignia of the god is developing into a standardized type of representation and can also be found on numerous later coins with little motif variation. Another motif on the back, which can be found on both earlier and later coins, is the depiction of the Olympic goddess of victory Nike in different variants. Once, the winged Nike is shown dynamically at a run, bringing a wreath. In other pictures the goddess sits in a more calm pose on a stone block, holding the wreath loosely in her supported hand.
A new step in the sequence of the individual series is marked by the portrait heads of Zeus and Hera, which appear around the same time (from approx. 421 BC). Zeus is always depicted with a laurel wreath and bearded, and Hera with her typical diadem (polo). A stylistic change is noticeable in the Hera portraits, which suggests a chronological development. Accordingly, the diadem on younger coins is becoming increasingly narrow. In some cases the upright eagle of Zeus is struck on the reverse of these later coins in connection with the portrait heads. The eagle appears on the embossing as a kind of heraldic bird, possibly as an allusion to the lordly power of the images of gods depicted on the front.
On the last Elish coin series, a new woman's head is shown on the obverse. The nymph-like beauty depicted can be interpreted as the eponymous heroine Olympia, a nymph who was supposed to gracefully symbolize the special importance of the region.
literature
- Charles T. Seltman : The Temple Coins of Olympia. Bowes & Bowes, Cambridge 1921 ( online ).
- Colin M. Kraay : Archaic and Classical Greek Coins. Berkeley 1976.
- Johannes Nollé : The coins of Elis. In: AV Seibert (Hrsg.): Olympia: Money and Sport in antiquity ( Museum Kestnerianum. Volume 7). Hanover 2004.
- Alan S. Walker: The Coinage of the Eleans for Olympia. In: Coins of Olympia. The BCD Collection. Auction Leu 90, Zurich 2004.
- Oliver D. Hoover: Handbook of the Coins of the Peloponnesos (Achaia, Phleiasia, Sikyonia, Elis, Triphylia, Messenia, Lakonia, Argolis and Arkadia) Sixth to first Centuries B. Lancaster / London 2011.
Web links
- Coins from Elis in the interactive catalog of the Münzkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
- Coins from Elis at CoinArchives.com
Individual evidence
- ^ Collin M. Kraay: Archaic and Classical Greek Coins. Berkeley 1976, p. 104.
- ↑ CT Seltman: The Temple Coins of Olympia. Cambridge 1921.
- ↑ Johannes Nollé : The coins of Elis. In: AV Seibert (Hrsg.): Olympia: Money and Sport in antiquity ( Museum Kestnerianum. Volume 7). Hanover 2004, p. 18.