Numismatic Corpora and Studies

The collection and publication of numismatic material, and its use as a primary source for the study of ancient history, has been from the outset one of the main objectives of the Section of Greek and Roman Antiquity. Various methods are employed to achieve this scholarly goal:

A. The collection and publication, in the form of a corpus, of all surviving coins issued by a specific authority (city, koinon, or kingdom), whether housed in museums and collections in Greece or abroad, or found in excavations. This material is studied in conjunction with other historical and archaeological evidence, contributing substantially to our understanding of the institutions, economy, and religious life of the issuing authority.

B. The synthetic presentation of coins from a broader geographical area within a specific chronological period, usually within the context of collective projects, offers a more comprehensive picture of the region in question. It highlights the relationships between the cities or other political entities that compose a given region, while also allowing comparisons with other regions. These synthetic studies are a valuable resource for historians and archaeologists who may not have easy access to numismatic material.

C. The publication of a coin collection. Even when the material is geographically and chronologically diverse, such publications make it known to the wider scholarly community and allow for its use in more specialized studies.

D. The analysis, by specialized laboratories, of the coin alloys constitutes an interdisciplinary research method that provides valuable insights into the fiscal and monetary policy of a given state.