| Physical description |
xvi, 176 pages, 23 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map ; 23 cm. |
| Series |
Approaching the ancient world. |
|
Approaching the ancient world.
|
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages [143]-161) and index. |
| Contents |
1. Money. The history of coinage. What difference did having a coinage make? Use of coinage: Athens. Use of coinage: Rome -- 2. Minting. Where did the metals come from? What is a mint? How large were issues? Why were coins struck? Coinage and state expenditure -- 3. Empires. Coinage and imperialism. Athens. Persia. Philip II and Alexander. Seleucids. Ptolemies. Attalids. Rome -- 4. Politics. Coin types and politics. Patterns of political representation: Greece. Patterns of political representation: Rome. Choice and intention. Audience and reception. Imagery and language. Themes of power -- 5. Circulation. The evidence and its limitations. Reasons for the movement of coin. Archaic period. Late classical and hellenistic periods. Roman period -- 6. Crisis. Crisis at Athens and Rome. Coinage under pressure (excluding Rome). Reasons for monetary manipulations in the Roman world. Causes of inflation. The third-century crisis. |
| Summary |
Coins are a rich source of information for the ancient historian; yet too often historians are uneasy about using them as evidence because of the special problems attached to their interpretation. "Ancient History from Coins" demystifies this specialized subject and introduces students to the techniques, methods, problems and advantages of using coins in the study of ancient history. Christopher Howgego shows through numerous examples how the character, patterns and behavior of coinage bear on major historical themes. Covering the period from the invention of coinage (c. 600 B.C.) until the reign of Diocletian, this study examines topics ranging from state finance and economic policy to imperial domination and political propaganda through coin types. |
| Subject |
Coins, Greek.
|
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Coins, Roman.
|
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Coins, Ancient.
|
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History, Ancient.
|
| ISBN |
041508993X (paperback) |
|
0415089921 |
|
