Archaeologists from the University of Michigan led by Christopher Ratté have uncovered a cache of ancient Persian coins in Notion. This find was dating back approximately 2,400 years. The treasure consists of Persian gold coins known as darics named after Darius I of Persia.
These gold coins were used primarily to pay mercenary soldiers and are considered rare finds in archaeological digs, especially in Asia Minor, where this discovery took place.
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The time when these gold coins were hidden was by warfare and instability. Notion, the city where the hoard was found, was a Greek-speaking community in Ionia, a region that changed hands between Persian and Greek control.
The darics are gold coins featuring the image of a Persian king kneeling with a spear in his right hand and a bow in his left.
The backside of the gold coins is plain except for a distinctive punch mark. These coins were likely minted in Sardis located about 60 miles (97 kilometers) northeast of Notion.
During the fifth century B.C., a single daric was equivalent to a soldier’s monthly salary.
Notion is situated in western Anatolia, a crucial cultural and geographical bridge between Asia and Europe.
It was part of the Achaemenid Persian Empire after 546 B.C. and played a huge role during periods of Greek and Persian tensions.
The gold coins were discovered beneath the courtyard of a house dating back to the third century B.C., revealing the remains of an earlier dwelling.
Several theories exist regarding why the coins were buried. One hypothesis suggests they belonged to a mercenary soldier who hid them for safekeeping but never returned possibly due to death or misfortune.
Another theory links the hoard to specific historical events such as the Athenian general Paches’ attack on pro-Persian mercenaries in 427 B.C.
It is plausible that these gold coins were part of payments to Greek mercenaries who frequently fought for the Persian Empire. The Athenian historian Xenophon was known for his service as a mercenary.
Persian darics are gold coins that were issued by the Persian Empire featuring the image of a kneeling archer. This design is a characteristic of darics and provides insights into Persian art and symbolism.
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Darics were minted from the late 6th century BCE until Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Empire in 330 BCE.
They remained consistent in design with minor stylistic variations over the centuries. These coins were primarily used to pay mercenary troops.
The hoard was found buried in a small pot under a large courtyard house in the center of Notion. This area was part of a structure beneath a Hellenistic house.
Notion was a city that experienced shifting control between Greek and Persian influences. It was incorporated into the Persian Empire in the mid-6th century BCE, liberated in the early 5th century BCE and later reintegrated into Persian control before Alexander’s conquest.
Notion was a strategic military location often caught between Persian and Athenian interests.
The gold coins were likely buried for safekeeping during a period of conflict or uncertainty. Christopher Ratté, a leading archaeologist in the project said that such hoards are usually meant to be retrieved.
The area around Notion was frequently involved in military operations. Events include the occupation by Persian sympathizers and mercenaries in the 5th century BCE and the naval battle between Athens and Sparta in 406 BCE.
During the Peloponnesian War, Notion’s strategic location made it a valuable naval base for Athens. A decisive naval battle between Athens and Sparta occurred nearby influencing the circumstances surrounding the coin hoard’s concealment.
After Athens’ defeat by Sparta, Notion and other Ionian cities were reintegrated into the Persian Empire in 387 B.C.
This period of shifting control could further explain the hoard’s concealment, as soldiers and residents might have needed to secure their assets amidst uncertainty.
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