By Dr. Steve Benner for CoinWeek …..
In historic instances, Calabria was positioned on the southeast peninsula of the Italian mainland – the “heel” of the Italian boot (Determine 1). The title is Roman; the Greeks referred to as it both Messapia or Iapygia. The native tribes that occupied the peninsula previous to the Greeks have been the Sallentini within the south and the Calabri (Messapians) within the north. The world lacked water however was fertile. It contained no mountains and had broad and gently rolling hills. Calabria produced olive oil, wines, fruits, honey, and wool of the best high quality. It was additionally recognized for its horses, supplying cavalry to Greek armies. The trendy title for historic Calabria is Salento.
The world was settled within the eighth century BCE (all dates BCE until in any other case famous) by the Greeks initially at Taras (Tarentum), Orra (Hyria), and Brundisium. Within the third century, Calabria got here beneath Roman management. By the seventh century CE, all besides Tarentum and Brundisium have been diminished to simply villages, and the title “Calabria” grew to become the title of the “toe” (previously Bruttium) of Italy quite than the title of the “heel”.
The Calabrian Greek cities that produced cash have been Aletium, Brundisium, Graxa, Grumum, Neretum, Orra, Sturnium, Tarentum, and Uxentum. Tarentum (Taras) was the biggest and most affluent metropolis, and it’s not coated right here as a result of it deserves its personal article. Most historic cities in Calabria haven’t any surviving recorded historical past, so this text focuses on their cash.
Aletium (Baletium)
Aletium was positioned within the south-central a part of the peninsula, north of Uxentum. There’s nothing recognized of its historical past. Originally of the fifth century, the town started minting three silver denominations on the Achaian commonplace of seven.8 grams to the tridrachm: the tridrachm (nomos), tetrobol, and diobol. Their designs have been based mostly on the coinage of Taras. The tridrachm has a dolphin rider (Phalanthes, a son of Poseidon, or Taras, founding father of the eponymous metropolis) on the obverse and a crescent on the reverse. The tetrobol and diobol each have a dolphin obverse and a crescent reverse (under). The title of the town is proven on the obverse and reverse in archaic Greek.
Brundisium
Brundisium was based by the Sallentini and gained its title attributable to its port’s being formed like a stag’s antlers (brention or brentesion in Messapian). Some legends affiliate the founding with the Argive king Diomedes. After the Pyrrhic Struggle (280-275), Rome took the town as a port towards the Carthaginians. In 244, the town was given Latin rights (ius Latii), and the Appian Method (Through Appia) was prolonged to the port.
Brundisium grew to become the principal Roman port on the Adriatic Sea and the first naval base for excursions into the jap Mediterranean. Town stayed loyal to Rome in the course of the Second Punic Struggle (218-201), and after the Social Struggle (91-87), it was granted the rank of municipium. Throughout the civil wars, it was the port that Pompey used to flee to Greece from Caesar and was besieged by the military of Marc Antony towards Octavian. Brundisium obtained revenues from buying and selling in oysters, vines, bees, and fruit.
The coinage of Brundisium is all bronze. The primary coin was minted at first of the third century and has a stag’s head on the obverse and a dolphin above a plow with the legend BPENT on the reverse. This was earlier than Roman management and may be very uncommon. Every coin, besides the place famous, has the identical obverse (the pinnacle of Neptune) and reverse (a dolphin rider holding a victory and a kithara (a sort of lyre), kantharos (a consuming cup), or cornucopia). Most of the cash have the town ethnic of BRVN on the reverse.
The cash struck beneath Roman management are separated into three sequence. The primary was struck between 217 and 212 based mostly on the as of 112 grams: the sextans with ••; the uncia with •; the semuncia with Σ; the 1/4-uncia with C; and the 1/8-uncia with L (Figures 3 and 4). The final coin has Nike or a scallop shell on the obverse and a dolphin on the reverse.
The second sequence was struck between 212 and 200 and was based mostly on the semuncial commonplace. It consists of the triens with ••••, the quadrans with •••, the sextans with ••, the uncia with •, and the semuncia with S. The final sequence was minted to the identical commonplace within the second century and consists of the semis with S, the triens with ••••, the quadrans with •••, and the uncia.
Graxa
Nothing is thought of the historical past of Graxa, and even its location is unsure. But it surely did mint bronze cash within the third and second centuries. Within the second half of the third century, it minted two denominations of bronze cash: D at 1.1-1.7 grams and E at 0.61-1.35. The previous has both a scallop shell on the obverse with a spread-winged eagle reverse, a scallop/thunderbolt, or a trident/dolphin. The latter denomination can have both a star and crescent obverse and a thunderbolt and crescent (Determine 5) or scallop shell and dolphin reverse. Town ethnic is GRA.
On the finish of the third and into the second centuries, the town minted quadrantes and sextantes based mostly on the Roman uncia of 27 grams. The previous has both Zeus or one of many Dioskouroi (the legendary twins Castor and Pollux) on the obverse and two eagles standing on a thunderbolt with three pellets (see Determine 6). Those with Zeus have KPH and GRA on the reverse, and people with the Dioskouroi have GRAXA. The sextantes have the Zeus obverse and just one eagle on a thunderbolt reverse with two pellets.
The Romans then changed the uncial commonplace with the semuncial commonplace, and the brand new quadrantes have been diminished to 1.73 grams utilizing the identical design as the sooner sextantes and three pellets.
Grumum
Grumum, generally listed in Calabria, was in all probability positioned in Apulia and may not belong in an article on cash of the area. Regardless, for the sake of completeness, Grumum minted bronze cash within the first half of the third century. They’re D: 2.14-2.39 grams and have both a male head obverse and bull reverse or the pinnacle of Artemis and a galloping horse. The one instance I might discover was of the previous design; it was in such unhealthy situation that I made a decision to go away out a photograph.
Neretum
Once more, there is no such thing as a recorded historical past for Neretum, however it in all probability was positioned simply north of Aletium. Nonetheless, it did mint a silver coin within the earlier half of the fourth century. The silver coin is an obol with Apollo’s head on the obverse and a lyre on the reverse with both N-A, NA-P, or N-AP because the legend (Determine 7). At a later date, the town minted a small bronze coin with the identical Apollo head obverse and Apollo seated on the reverse holding a lyre with a tripod in entrance. Its reverse legend is ΝΑΡΗΤΙΝΩΝ.
Orra (Hyria)
The legendary custom for the founding of Orra was that Cretans have been despatched by Minos. However the historic metropolis was settled by a Messapian Italic basis about midway between Brundisium and Taras. Orra hardly ever seems within the historic sources however was recognized to be a Roman ally by the second century. Town equipped ships to the Romans of their battle towards Perseus in the course of the Third Macedonian Struggle (171-168) and obtained full citizenship in 90, thus gaining the standing of municipia.
Orra struck bronze cash beginning in the midst of the third century within the type of two denominations: C at 2.7-4.5 and D at 1.6-2.2 grams. The previous denomination has a male head in a conical helmet and an eagle standing on a thunderbolt (Determine 8). The ethnic ORRA is on the reverse. The D denomination has the identical design, besides the eagle is wanting again. One other denomination was minted with a weight between these two denominations at 2.5 grams and was bigger (18 mm). It had the identical obverse, however the reverse had Victory standing holding a palm department. It might have been an unofficial problem.
Close to the tip of the third century, a brand new sequence of bronzes have been minted based mostly on the nummus of about 20 grams. The quincunx (5.3-10 g), semis, quadrunx, and teruncius have been the denominations. The quincunx has Minerva’s head on the obverse and an eagle standing on a thunderbolt on the reverse with 5 pellets; the semis has Herakles on the obverse and a winged thunderbolt; the quadrunx has the identical design because the quincunx besides it has 4 pellets; and the teruncius has the identical design because the semis besides with three pellets. All of the cash have the town ethnic of ORRA on their reverse.
Earlier than the tip of the century, the weights have been diminished by half, and a brand new quincunx (4.9-5.4 g), teruncius, and biunx have been minted, all with the pinnacle of Venus on the obverse. A cupid reverse is used for the quincunx (Determine 5) and teruncius together with 5 and three pellets, respectively, and a dove is used for the biunx with two pellets. Once more, the town ethnic was on all of the reverses. The coinage of Orra stopped in regards to the center of the second century.
Sturnium (Sturni)
Nothing is thought of the origin and historical past of this metropolis. Its location is considered northwest of Brundisium and northeast of Taras, although one other supply has it south of Brundisium. Town minted a C-type (2.05-3.2 grams) bronze coin. The obverse has a scallop shell, and the obverse has an eagle standing on a lightning bolt. Town ethnic of STU is beneath the thunderbolt on the reverse. This design is just like the bronze one minted by Graxa, and each are influenced by Tarentine cash.
Uxentum (Oxzenton in Greek)
Uxentum was based by the Sallentine Iapygians close to the tip of the Calabrian promontory, however nothing is thought of its historical past. It’s thought that Uxentum minted a bronze coin of 12.8 grams at first of the fourth century, however it is a distinctive specimen, and its authenticity has been questioned. It’s proven in Determine 11 and has Athena on the obverse and thunderbolt and star on the reverse. The legend is translated as “Caesius at Uxenturm.”
Two denominations of bronze cash have been minted within the second and first centuries: D at 1.3-2.6 grams and E at 1.03-1.23. The previous (Determine 12) has Athena on the obverse and Herakles standing on the reverse whereas holding a membership and cornucopia with the legend AO within the higher left. The latter denomination has an eagle with wings unfold on the obverse and a kantharos and star on the reverse. It additionally has the AO legend.
Within the late second and early first centuries, Uxentum minted bronze cash to the Roman semuncial commonplace. All have Herakles on the reverse holding a cornucopia and his proper hand on a membership with the legend OIAN. The as (7.8-11.7 grams) has a Janiform head on the obverse (Determine 13), and the semisses (3.22-5.5 grams) have both Athena or Zeus on the obverse.
Cash of Historical Calabria: Feedback
A lot of the cash coated within the article are bronzes and, usually, cheap. The few product of silver (Aletium and Neretum) are very uncommon and therefore very costly. A few of the bronzes might be expensive attributable to their rarity (Figures 11 and 10) or attributable to their comparatively well-preserved situation (Determine 3). The remaining are all fairly affordable for these on a price range of which their spouse or important different would approve.
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References
Classical Numismatic Group (CNG)
Grant, Michael. A Information to the Historical World: A Dictionary of Classical Place Names. Barnes and Noble (1986).
Head, Barclay V. Historia Numorum: A Guide of Greek Numismatics. Oxford (1887).
Hoover, Oliver. Handbook of Cash of Italy and Magna Graecia, Vol 1. Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. Lancaster/London (2018).
Hornblower, Simon, Spawforth, Antony (ed.). The Oxford Classical Dictionary. Oxford (1996).
Sear, David. Greek Cash and Their Values, Vol 2: Asia. B.A. Seaby Ltd. (1979).
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