KERMA I: Argilos - A Historical and Numismatic Study

Athens, 2005. Series Kerma, No. I. Academy of Athens Award. In English; soft cover, 27 cm, 404 pp., ill.: 27 plates. ISBN: 960-88985-0-1.

Presents for the first time the political and economic history of the ancient city of Argilos, a colony of settlers from the island of Andros that was founded on the coast of Bisaltia, between Strymon river and Chalkidike. The comparative examination of the ancient written sources together with the archeaological remains and particularly the study of the coins (corpus) produced by Argilos, enable the re-composition of the historical physiognomy of the city from archaic to hellenistic times, shedding light on evidence unknown until now. During the Classical and Hellenistic periods the political and economic situation of Argilos shows notable breaks that are connected with military operations in the region by the Athenians, the Spartans and, later on, by the Macedonian kings. Argilos underwent a steady political and economic decline beginning with the time of Philip II's expansion, when the city finally became part of the Macedonian Kingdom. The population shrank dramatically in numbers and from about the middle of the 2nd century BC onwards there is no sign of life in the city.

CONTENTS:

INTRODUCTION
PART ONE - GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF ARGILOS AND BISALTIA

THE LOCATION OF BISALTIAN ARGILOS
IBISALTIA
Geography and history of the region
Cities, settlements and sites of Bisaltia
Kerdylion
Tragilos
Berge
Brea
Himeraion
Sykine
Bedyndia
Bisaltia
Kalliterai
Ossa
Euporia
Oreskeia and Tintos
ARGILOS
Foundation of the colony
Name of the city
Archaeological research at Argilos
History of Argilos

PART TWO - THE COINAGE OF ARGILOS

FIRST PHASE OF PRODUCTION. SILVER COINAGE
Period I (c. 520/515-c. 510 B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue
Period II (c. 510-c. 500 B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue
Period III (c. 500-c. 495 B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue
Period IV (c. 495-c. 478/477 B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue
Issues of Argilos struck on the Euboian standard
Period V (c. 478/477-c. 470 B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue
Period VI (c. 470-c. 460 B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue
Period VII (c. 460/455 B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue
SECOND PHASE OF PRODUCTION. BRONZE COINAGE
Period VIII (c. Second quarter of the 4th century B.C.)
The coinage
Chronology and historical background
Catalogue

PART THREE - GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE COINAGE OF ARGILOS

MYTHOLOGY AND INTERPRETATION OF THE MAIN NUMISMATIC TYPES
The legend of Pegasos and Bellerophon
Apollo
The lion
NUMISMATIC TYPES
Main types
Pegasos
Pegasos and the dog
Bellerophon
Apollo head
Lion head
Incuse square
Symbols
Pellets
Plant motif and rose
Vine with bunch of grapes
Other obverse typological details
Border of dots
Ground line
STYLE
Stylistic analysis
Engravers
THE LEGEND OF THE COINS
METROLOGY
Metrological study
The reduced "Thraco-Macedonian" weight standard of the 6th/5th century B.C.
The Euboian weight standard
Conclusions
THE MINT TECHNIQUES
Flan of the coins, overstrucks, double-strucks
Die use

PART FOUR - NUMISMATIC CIRCULATION

HOARDS AND OTHER PROVENANCES OF THE ARGILIAN COINS
The evidence of the hoards
Other provenances of the Argilian coins
COINS FROM THE ARGILOS EXCAVATIONS
A hoard of silver coins of Akanthos, Argilos 2003
Excavation coins
Catalogue
Commentary
Conclusions
Lead discs

APPENDIX - Suspected forgeries INDICES
Prosopography of Argilos
General Index
SUMMARY IN GREEK
PLATES