The coins found at the excavations of Amasya/Oluz Höyük, 2009-2013, G. Tsetskhladze – A. Avram – J. Hargrave (eds.), Greeks and Romans in the Black Sea and the Importance of the Pontic Region for the Graeco-Roman World (7th century BC-5th century AD): 20 Years On (1997-2017), Oxford 2021, 420–428. (original) (raw)
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The coins found at the excavations of Amasya/Oluz Höyük, 2009–2013 . Oluz Höyük (Yassı Höyük - Tepetarla Höyüğü) is located on the western part of the city Amasya which is in the central Black Sea Region of Turkey. The mound lies on the fertile Geldingen plain, from the south of which an important tributary of the Yeşilırmak river (ancient Iris), the Çekerek (ancient Skylaks) passes. During the archaeological excavations at Oluz Höyük which were carried under the direction of Prof. Şevket Dönmez between 2009 and 2013, 90 coins (one gold, five silver, 84 bronze) were discovered, dating from the last quarter of the 4th century BC to 48 BC. A great majority of them (70) belong to the Hellenistic kingdoms: 13 Macedonian (Alexander the Great and Philippos III Arrhidaios), two Bithynian (Prusias II Cynegus), 55 Pontic (Mithradates VI Eupator). The coins of the Macedonian kingdom are from the mints of the cities of Amphipolis, Sardis, Colophon, Miletus/Mylasa and Salamis. Aside from the Pontic coins, which were minted of bronze, those of Amisos constitute thelargest group with 41 examples, while five coins of Amastris and only one each from Sinope and Panticapaeum were identified. Among the other 11 coins, three, dated to the Roman Republican period, give the names of Roman moneyers: Caius Curiatius filius Trigeminus (135 BC), C. Cornelius Lentulus Clodianus (88 BC) and Lucius Procilius filius (80 BC). The remaining eight coins which are dated to the 2nd–1st centuries, are known to have been minted in Apameia (Kelainai), Cyzicus and Sardis. All of this numismatic material adds new information to the Hellenistic history of Oluz Höyük as well as the Pontic region.
Coins from Excavations at the "T-4" Sector in Olbia
Археологія і давня історія України, 2021
Coins from the excavations of the «T-4» site in 2018—2020, located in the Terrace City of Olbia, are introduced into scientific circulation. The total number of coins found during three years of research is 154 items, half of which are dolphin-shaped coins. These include a treasure of coins and bronze items, which, in particular, contained 26 casted dolphin-shaped coins. The coin in the shape of a «wheel» from the West Pontic city of Istria also belongs to the Classical period. Coins of the Hellenistic era from the excavations at the «T-4» sector are represented by denominations with images of Apollo, Demeter and the eagle on a dolphin, Tyche in a crown in the shape of a tower and an archer, and borysthenes coins. Among the numismatic monuments of this time is a rare coin of the city of Byzantium of the IV c. BC, which confirms the evidence of the Olbian inscription (НО 9) on trade contacts between these cities during the Hellenistic period. The latest coins of the pre-Getae Olbia are represented by coins of the Asia Minor city of Amis, which are dated by the end of the II — the first half of the I c. BC. These are tetrachalkos with images of the Ares head in a helmet and a sword in sheath, and Aegis with the head of Medusa and Nike. Their appearance in Olbia is associated with the inclusion of the city in the Pontic state of Mithradates VI Eupator, in particular the localization of the Pontic garrison in Olbia. Coins of Roman times are represented by Olbian assarius such as Zeus / eagle of the middle of the I c. AD, dupondius of the second half of the II c, AD and a tressis depicting the Roman Empress Julia Mamaeia, which belongs to the last series of monetary units of the Olbian autonomous minting. In general, the available numismatic material from the excavations of the T-4 site is dated from the second half of the VI c. BC, and until the cessation of coinage in the second third of the III c. AD, i. e. covers all major chronological periods of existence of Olbian polis.