Power and coinage
The portrait tetradrachms of Eumenes II
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30549/opathrom-10-04Keywords:
Attalids, Rome, Hellenistic kingship, cult, iconography, Hellenistic periodAbstract
Among other innovations in coinage, the portrait tetradrachms of Eumenes II testify to the interest that the Attalid king showed in coinage. It is difficult to date these coins using purely numismatic criteria. The generally favoured late dating is based on the notion that this was a short-lived coinage, but it may well have been struck – possibly at intervals – over a relatively long period of Eumenes II’s reign. In this paper I defend an early dating for the starting point of this coinage, in the first half of the reign and even in the first years, before the Treaty of Apamea. The historical context of the rising power of Rome in the Eastern Mediterranean after the Second Macedonian War may explain the original features of this coinage and its iconography, which shows a will to affirm a personal power and also suggests a connection with Rome through the Pergamene cult of the Kabeiroi.
Downloads
References
Allen, R.E. 1983. The Attalid kingdom. A constitutional history, Oxford.
Ashton, R. 2013. ‘The use of the cistophoric weight-standard outside the Pergamene kingdom’, in Attalid Asia Minor: Money, international relations, and the state, ed. P. Thonemann, Oxford, 245–264. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656110.003.0007
Bauslaugh, R. 1982. ‘The unique portrait tetradrachm of Eumenes II’, ANSMN 27, 39–51, pls. 15–16.
Bellinger, A. 1961. Troy. The coins (Supplementary monograph 2), Princeton.
BMC Islands = Wroth, W. 1886. BMC, Catalogue of the Greek coins of Crete and Aegean islands, London.
BMC Mysia = Wroth, W. 1892. BMC, Catalogue of the Greek coins of Mysia, London.
Boehringer, C. 1972. Zur Chronologie mittelhellenistischer Münzserien 220–160 v. Chr., (AMuGS 5), Berlin.
Boulay, T. 2009. ‘Une épiphanie de Zeus Sôter à Clazomènes’, RN 165, 113–127. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/numi.2009.2870
CH 10 = Meadows, A., U. Wartenberg & O. Hoover, eds. 2010. Coin hoards X: Greek hoards, London.
Chameroy, J. 2012. ‘Chronologie und Verbreitung der hellenistischen Bronzeprägungen von Pergamon: der Beitrag der Fundmünzen’, Chiron 42, 131–181.
CID IV = Lefèvre, F. 2002. Corpus des inscriptions de Delphes IV. Documents amphictioniques, Athens.
Davesne, A. & G. Le Rider 1989. Gülnar II: Le trésor de Meydancıkkale (Cilicie Trachée 1980), Paris.
De Callataÿ, F. 2013. ‘The coinages of the Attalids and their neighbours: A quantified overview’, in Attalid Asia Minor: Money, international relations, and the state, ed. P. Thonemann, Oxford, 207–244. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656110.003.0006
Flament, C. 2007. Le monnayage en argent d’Athènes de l’époque archaïque à l’époque hellénistique (c. 550 – c. 40 av. J.-C.) (Études numismatiques 1), Louvain-la-Neuve.
Gaebler, H. 1935. Die antiken Münzen Nord-Griechenlands III. Makedonia und Paionia 2, Berlin.
Gauthier, P. 1975. ‘Légendes monétaires grecques’, in Numismatique antique, problèmes et méthodes, eds. J.-M. Dentzer, P. Gauthier & T. Hackens (Études d'archéologie classique 4, Annales de l'Est 44), Nancy, 165–179.
Gauthier, P. 2011. Études d'histoire et d'institutions grecques. Choix d'écrits, Genève (Hautes études du monde gréco-romain 47), Genève, 171–191.
Hansen, E.V. 19712. The Attalids of Pergamon, London.
Hedlund, R. 2008. “…achieved nothing worthy of memory”. Coinage and authority in the Roman Empire c. AD 260–295 (Studia numismatica Uppsaliensia 5), Uppsala.
Hopp, J. 1977. Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der letzten Attaliden (Vestigia 25), München.
IGCH = Thompson, M., O. Mørkholm & C.M. Kraay 1973. An Inventory of Greek coin hoards, New York.
Kleiner, F. & S.P. Noe 1977. The early Cistophoric coinage, (ANS Numismatic Studies 14), New York.
Knoepfler, D. 2010. ‘Les agonothètes de la confédération d’Athéna Ilias. Une interprétation nouvelle des données épigraphiques et ses conséquences pour la chronologie des émissions monétaires du koinon’, in Studi ellenistici 24, ed. B. Virgilio, Pisa, 33–62.
Le Quéré, E. 2015. Les Cyclades sous l’Empire romain. Histoire d’une renaissance, Rennes. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/books.pur.93643
Le Rider, G. 1973. ‘Un tétradrachme d’Athéna Niképhoros’, RN, 66–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/numi.1973.1042
Le Rider, G. 1999. Études d'histoire monétaire et financière du monde grec. Écrits 1958–1998 (3 vols.), Athens.
Lewis, D.M. 1962. ‘The chronology of the Athenian new style coinage’, NC 7, 275–300.
Ma, J. 2013. ‘The Attalids: A military history’, in Attalid Asia Minor: Money, international relations, and the state, ed. P. Thonemann, Oxford, 49–82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656110.003.0002
Marcellesi, M.-C. 2004. Milet des Hécatomnides à la domination romaine. Pratiques monétaires et histoire de la cité du ive au iie siècle av. J.-C. (Milesische Forschungen 3), Mainz.
Marcellesi, M.-C. 2012a. Pergame de la fin du ve au début du ier siècle avant J.-C. Pratiques monétaires et histoire (Studi ellenistici 26), Pisa.
Marcellesi, M.-C. 2012b. ‘De Philétaire à Eumène II, image et pouvoir chez les Attalides’, in Le Charaktèr du Prince. Expressions monétaires du pouvoir en temps de troubles (CahÉtAnc 49), eds. A. Suspène & F. Duyrat, Québec, 149–165.
Marcellesi, M.-C. 2016. ‘Territoire, institutions et rayonnement de Pergame: l’apport des monnaies de fouille’, in Les monnaies de fouille du monde grec (vie–ier s. a.C). Apports, approches et méthodes (Ausonius Scripta antiqua 93), eds. F. Duyrat & C. Grandjean, Bordeaux, 203–222. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/books.ausonius.19483
Mattingly, H. 1993a. ‘The Ma’Aret En-Nu’man hoard, 1980’, in Essays in honour of Robert Carson and Kenneth Jenkins, eds. M. Price, A. Burnett & R. Bland, London, 69–86.
Mattingly, H. 1993b. ‘The portrait coin of Eumenes II of Pergamon’, in Actes. XIe Congrès international de numismatique. Bruxelles, 8–13 septembre 1991, eds. T. Hackens & G. Moucharte, Louvain-la-Neuve, I, 281–282.
Meadows, A. 2009. ‘The Hellenistic silver coinage of Clazomenae’, in Ancient history, numismatics and epigraphy in the Mediterranean world. Studies in memory of Clemens E. Bosch and Sabahat Atlan and in honour of Nezahat Baydur, eds. O. Tekin & A. Erol, Istanbul, 247–262.
Meadows, A. 2013. ‘The closed currency system of the Attalid kingdom’, in Attalid Asia Minor: Money, international relations, and the state, ed. P. Thonemann, Oxford, 149–205. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656110.003.0005
Mørkholm, O. 1963. Studies in the coinage of Antiochos IV of Syria, Copenhagen.
Mørkholm, O. 1984. ‘The chronology of the new style coinage of Athens’, ANSMN 29, 29–42.
Mulliez, D. 1998. ‘La chronologie de la prêtrise IV (170/69–158/7) et la date de la mort d’Eumène II’, Topoi 8, 231–241. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/topoi.1998.1136
Nicolet-Pierre, H. 1989. ‘Monnaies de Pergame’, in Kraay-Mørkholm Essays. Numismatic studies in memory of C.M. Kraay and O. Mørkholm, eds. G. Le Rider, K. Jenkins, N. Waggoner & U. Westermark (Numismatica lovaniensia 10), Louvain-la-Neuve, 203–216.
Nicolet-Pierre, H. & M. Amandry 1992. ‘Les monnaies d’argent de Syros’, in Florilegium numismaticum. Studia in honorem U. Westermark edita, ed. H. Nilsson, Stockholm, 295–306.
Nollé, J. 2014. ‘ “Panegyris coinages” – Eine moderne Geisterprägung’, Chiron 44, 285–323.
OGIS = Dittenberger, W. 1903–1905. Orientis Graeci Inscriptiones Selectae (2 vols.), Leipzig.
Ohlemutz, E. 1940. Die Kulte und Heiligtümer der Götter in Pergamon, Würzburg.
Pailler, J.-M. 1997. ‘Religio et affaires religieuses: de l’expiation du sacrilège de Locres à l’accueil de Cybèle’, Mélanges Claude Domergue 1 (Pallas 46), 131–146. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/palla.1997.1437
Petzl, G. 1978. ‘Inschriften aus der Umgebung von Saittai I’, ZPE 30, 249–276.
Pillot, W. 2013. Ilion en Troade, de la colonisation éolienne au Haut Empire romain. Identités, mythes et histoire d’une petite communauté politique et de ses sanctuaires, au carrefour d’influences européennes et asiatiques, Ph.D. thesis, Université Paris-Sorbonne.
Pillot, W. 2016. ‘Ilion, Athéna Ilias et les Détroits, d’Alexandre le Grand à Antiochos III. Identité régionale d’une communauté politique et de son sanctuaire, au carrefour d’influences européennes et asiatiques’, in Identité régionale, identités civiques autour des Détroits des Dardanelles et du Bosphore (ve siècle av. J.-C. – ve siècle apr. J.-C.) (Dialogues d’histoire ancienne Suppl. 15), eds. M. Dana & F. Prêteux, Besançon, 133–170. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3917/dha.hs15.0133
Price, M. 1991. The coinage in the name of Alexander the Great and Philip Arrhideus, London.
Psoma, S. 2013. ‘War or trade? Attic-weight tetradrachms from second-century BC Attalid Asia Minor in Seleukid Syria after the peace of Apameia and their historical context’, in Attalid Asia Minor: Money, international relations, and the state, ed. P. Thonemann, Oxford, 265–300. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656110.003.0008
Queyrel, F. 1999. ‘Le portrait monétaire d’Eumène II: problèmes d’interprétation et de datation’, in Travaux de numismatique grecque offerts à Georges Le Rider, ed. M. Amandry, S. Hurter & D. Bérend, London, 323–336.
Queyrel, F. 2005. L’autel de Pergame. Images et pouvoir en Grèce d’Asie (Antiqua 9), Paris.
Rigsby, K.J. 1986. Asylia. Territorial inviolability in the Hellenistic world, Berkeley.
Robert, L. 1966. Monnaies antiques en Troade (Hautes Études numismatiques 1), Paris.
Robert, L. 1984. ‘Héraclès à Pergame et une épigramme de l’Anthologie XVI 91’, RPhil 58, 7–18 (= Opera minora selecta VI, 457–468).
RPC II = Burnett, A., M. Amandry & I. Carradice 1999. Roman provincial coinage II. From Vespasian to Domitian (AD 69–96), London.
RPC IV = Heuchert, W. & C. Howgego 2005. Roman provincial coinage IV. The Antonines (AD 138–192), London.
Savalli-Lestrade, I. 2013. ‘Grandes et petites cités dans le monde grec des époques classique et hellénistique. Problèmes anciens et recherches nouvelles. Introduction’, Topoi 18, 9–15. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3406/topoi.2013.2457
SC II = Houghton, A., C. Lorber & O. Hoover 2008. Seleucid coins. A comprehensive catalogue. Part II: Seleucus IV through Antiochus XIII, New York.
Segre. M. 1932. ‘Due nuovi testi storici’, Rivista di filologia e di istruzione classica 60, 446–461.
SNG BnF Mysie = Levante, E. 2001. SNG France 5. Département des monnaies, médailles et antiques, Mysie, Paris.
SNG Delepierre = Nicolet-Pierre, H. 1983. SNG France 1: Collection Jean et Marie Delepierre, Paris.
Thompson, M. 1961. The new style silver coinage of Athens, New York.
Thonemann, P. 2013. ‘The Attalid state, 188–133 BC’, in Attalid Asia Minor. Money, international relations, and the state, ed. P. Thonemann, Oxford, 1–47. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199656110.003.0001
Welles, C.B. 1934. Royal correspondence in the Hellenistic period. A study in Greek epigraphy, New Haven.
Westermark, U. 1960. Das Bildnis des Philetairos von Pergamon. Corpus der Münzprägung (Acta Universitatis Stockholmiensis, Studies in Classical Archaeology 1), Stockholm.
Westermark, U. 1981. ‘The portrait coin of Eumenes II of Pergamon’, in Lagom. Festschrift für Peter Berghaus zum 60. Geburtstag am 20. November 1979, eds. T. Fischer & P. Ilisch, Münster, 19–23.
Will, É. 1982. Histoire politique du monde hellénistique (323–30 av. J.-C.) II, Nancy.
Wörrle, M. 2000. ‘Pergamon um 133 v. Chr.’, Chiron 30, 543–576.
Wörrle, M. 2007. ‘Zur Rang und Bedeutung von Gymnasion und Gymnasiarchie im hellenistischen Pergamon’, Chiron 37, 501–516.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2017 Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome, and the authors.Volumes 16–18 (2023–2025): All text is published with immediate open access under the Creative Commons license CC BY 4.0. All images are used with permission from the rights holders, credited in the captions, and explicitly excluded from the CC BY license.
Copyright: Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome, and the authors.
Volumes 1–15 (2008–2022): These issues were made openly available as PDFs six months after the printed edition was published. No Creative Commons license applies to these volumes.
Copyright: Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome, and the authors.
