Archaeologists working in the ancient city-state of Notion, located in modern-day Turkey, have stumbled upon a remarkable discovery—a cache of rare Persian gold coins dating back to the time of the Peloponnesian War.
Led by University of Michigan archaeologist Christopher Ratté, the research team found the treasure by chance while excavating beneath the courtyard of a house within the ruins of Notion. Dr. Ratté expressed surprise at the find, stating, “The coins were buried in a corner of the older building. We weren’t actually looking for a pot of gold.”
The initial discovery of a small clay jug, known as an olpe, led to the unearthing of dozens of gold coins, identified as darics. These coins, prevalent in the fifth century B.C., were commonly used to compensate soldiers and mercenaries, with one daric equivalent to a month’s salary. Ratté speculated that a soldier, possibly seeking to safeguard his earnings, buried the coins within the jug before meeting a tragic fate in battle.
Renowned University of Oxford archaeologist Andrew Meadows, uninvolved in the excavation, hailed the find as of paramount significance. Meadows noted the rarity of such a discovery in Asia Minor and emphasized its potential to refine the understanding of Achaemenid gold coinage chronology.
Notion, situated in western Anatolia, has historical significance as a strategic crossroads between Asia and Europe. The city-state, one of many Greek-speaking communities that emerged in the first millennium B.C., witnessed the burial of the gold coins amidst regional conflicts over contested territories.
Dr. Ratté drew parallels between ancient conflicts, such as the Trojan War, and contemporary crises like the Syrian refugee exodus. He highlighted Notion’s role as a departure point for refugees during a past humanitarian emergency.
Anatolia’s rich history includes the minting of the first state-issued coin, the Lydian stater, by King Alyattes around 610 B.C. The subsequent introduction of the Croeseid by King Croesus epitomized Lydia’s opulence during his reign, immortalized in the phrase ‘rich as Croesus.’
The discovered darics, bearing the likeness of a kneeling Persian king on one side and left blank on the reverse, offer a glimpse into ancient monetary systems and military compensations.
Stored at the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selcuk, Turkey, alongside Athenian artifacts from the Notion site, these gold coins serve as tangible links to a bygone era of warfare, trade, and cultural exchange.
