Weights of Lysimachea from the Tekirdağ Museum and Various Collections
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by OpenEdition Anatolia Antiqua Revue internationale d'archéologie anatolienne XXII | 2014 Varia Weights of Lysimachea from the Tekirdağ Museum and Various Collections Oğuz Tekin Electronic version URL: http://journals.openedition.org/anatoliaantiqua/294 Publisher IFEA Printed version Date of publication: 1 January 2014 Number of pages: 145-153 ISBN: 9782362450136 ISSN: 1018-1946 Electronic reference Oğuz Tekin, « Weights of Lysimachea from the Tekirdağ Museum and Various Collections », Anatolia Antiqua [Online], XXII | 2014, Online since 30 June 2018, connection on 23 April 2019. URL : http:// journals.openedition.org/anatoliaantiqua/294 Anatolia Antiqua TABLE DES MATIERES Emma BAYSAL, A preliminary typology for beads from the Neolithic and Chalcolithic levels of Barcın Höyük 1 William ANDERSON, Jessie BIRKETT-REES, Michelle NEGUS CLEARY, Damjan KRSMANOVIC et Nikoloz TSKVITINIDZE, Archaeological survey in the South Caucasus (Samtskhe-Javakheti, Georgia): Approaches, methods and first results 11 Eda GÜNGÖR ALPER, Hellenistic and Roman period ceramic finds from the Balatlar Church excavations in Sinop between 2010-2012 35 Ergün LAFLI et Gülseren KAN ŞAHİN, Hellenistic ceramics from Southwestern Paphlagonia 51 Oğuz TEKİN, Weights of Lysimachea from the Tekirdağ Museum and various collections 145 Oğuz TEKİN, Three weights of Lampsacus 155 Julie DALAISON et Fabrice DELRIEUX, La cité de Néapolis-Néoclaudiopolis : histoire et pratiques monétaires 159 Martine ASSENAT et Antoine PEREZ, Amida 4. Constance II et Amida 199 Sencan ALTINOLUK et Nilüfer ATAKAN, Abrasax: A magical gem in the Istanbul Archaeological Museums 219 Bahadır DUMAN, A group of local production Middle Byzantine period pottery from Tripolis: ‘Micaceous White Painted Ware’ 225 CHRONIQUES DES TRAVAUX ARCHEOLOGIQUES EN TURQUIE, 2014 Jean-Charles MORETTI, avec la collaboration de Nicolas BRESCH, Isabel BONORA, Jean-Jacques MALMARY et Olivier RISS, Claros, le Temple d’Apollon : travaux réalisés en 2013 237 Suat ATEŞLİER, On the excavations of the Zeus Temple of Alabanda 247 Olivier HENRY, avec Ayşe Güliz BİLGİN ALTINÖZ, Jesper BLID, Ömür Dünya ÇAKMAKLI, Andrew DUFTON, Agneta FRECCERO, Linda GOSNER, Ragnar HEDLUND, Pascal LEBOUTEILLER, Vasilica LUNGU, Felipe ROJAS, Fredrik TOBIN, Baptiste VERGNAUD et Andrew WATERS, La mission Labraunda 2013 - Rapport préliminaire 255 Dominique BEYER, Isabelle CHALIER, Françoise KIRNER, Françoise LAROCHE-TRAUNECKER et Aksel TİBET, Zeyve Höyük - Porsuk. Rapport préliminaire sur la campagne 2013 327 Çiğdem MANER, Preliminary report on the first season of the Konya-Ereğli (KEYAR) survey 2013 343 Anatolia Antiqua XXII (2014), p. 145-153 Oğuz TEKİN* WEIGHTS OF LYSIMACHEA FROM THE TEKİRDAĞ MUSEUM AND VARIOUS COLLECTIONS Lysimachea (modern-day Bolayır)1 was a Hel- Most of the extant examples are of lead, but there lenistic city located in the neck where the Gallipoli are also rare weights of bronze. On the obverses of peninsula (Thracian Chersonese) joins the European the Lysimachean weights is depicted a jumping lion. mainland. After the death of Alexander the Great, On the large units (such as mna and its multiples) his enormously vast empire was divided up, and the there is a full figure of lion while on the fractions regions of Thrace and Northwestern Asia Minor fell (such as hemimnaion, tetarton etc.) is only a lion to Lysimachus. A short time later, in 309 B.C., Lysi- protome. As it is clear from the following examples, machus founded a new city on the Thracian Cher- a bronze hemimnaion weight bears a full-figured sonese (modern-day Gallipoli Peninsula), naming it lion, contrary to expectations. The lion was a symbol Lysimachea after himself2. Lysimachus settled people both of Lysimachus, the founder of Lysimachea, from neighbouring cities, especially from Cardia and of the city, highly likely, copied from the Cardian (modern-day Bakla Burnu)3, in his new city. Conse- coinage. On the Lysimachean weights, besides the quently, the lion image that had been in use on lion, there is an abbreviated ethnic (ΛΥΣΙ or Cardia’s coins4 came to be used on the coins and ΛΥ), whose letters are placed on each corner. This weights of Lysimachea as well. is an abbreviated form of the ethnic in the genitive Much of Lysimachus’ reign was spent fighting (Λυσιµαχέων = of Lysimacheans). The reverses of against Alexander’s other successors as well as the weights are left blank. against the Odrysian king Seuthes III5. Lysimachea, The last decade of the 4th century B.C. is the ter- the capital city of his kingdom, was destroyed by an minus post quem for the earliest Lysimachean weights earthquake in 287 B.C.6. He was finally killed since the city was founded in about 309 B.C. The fighting while losing battle against the Seleucids at deadline for the Lysimachean weights is about mid- Corupedium in 281 B.C. Though the city of Lysi- 2nd century B.C. when Lysimachea was destroyed machea continued to develop while under Seleucid by the Thracians. But, even though the attacks of control, by the end of the 2nd century B.C. it had the Thracians destroyed the city dramatically, one fallen into obscurity. In the time of Pliny it was may think that the city continued its presence for a already deserted7. The name of Lysimachea was while; at least the commercial life was not halted mentioned a last time by Ammianus Marcellinus8. entirely. Consequently, it is possible that the Lysi- Although it is hard to estimate the number of machean weights may have continued to be produced the Lysimachean weights in the collections, the or used in the second half of the 2nd century B.C. number of the known examples is about thirty; but This article deals with sixteen lead weights of Lysi- the actual number should be naturally more. The machea, majority from the Tekirdağ Museum and Lysimachean weights are recognised relatively easily. some from various collections, not published previ- * Istanbul University, Ancient History Department, Beyazıt-İstanbul. E-mail: [email protected] 1) Brodersen 1986; Sayar 2007. 2) Strabo: VII frags. 51-52; Diodorus Siculus: XX.29.1. 3) Pausanias: I.9.8. 4) Tzvetkova 2009. 5) For Lysimachus and his activities see Lund 1992. 6) Justinus: XVII.1. 7) Pliny: IV.18. 8) Marcellinus: XXII.8.5. 146 OĞUZ TEKİN ously. They are listed below from the large units to 5) Private coll. (RK 003). small units9. Hemimnaion (Fig. 5) A square lead weight which measures 46x45x 1) Tekirdağ Museum (inv. no 1, tentative). 12 mm and weighs 248.2 g; worn. On the obverse is Trimnaion (Fig. 1) a lion protome jumping right, head turned back?; on This square lead weight with rounded corners each corner, from top left, Λ−Υ−Σ−Ι; below the measures 80x79x23 mm and weighs 1400 g; on the belly of the lion (between Σ and Ι), H which stands upper edge there is a depression (cut); worn. Letters for ἡμίμναιον (mna of 496.4 g); all in relief. The re- on the corner (Λ−Υ−Σ−Ι) are not visible except the verse of the weight is blank. This weight was one (lambda) on the top left corner and maybe a Σ on acquired in Tekirdağ in 1990s or later. the bottom left corner. On the obverse, there is a lion jumping right, in relief, but it is hardly visible since it 6) Tekirdağ Museum (inv. no 3, tentative). is worn. Below the belly of the lion one may expect a Hemimnaion (Fig. 6) letter indicating the denominational mark, i.e. Γ, but A square lead weight measuring 46x46x12 mm it is not visible or there is no letter at all. The reverse and weighing 248 g; with rounded corners; worn. is blank. Its mass corresponds to a trimnaion (mna of On the obverse is a protome of a lion jumping right; 466.66 g). Find place and date: Bolayır, 2013. its head is discoid, looking back. On the corners, Λ−[Υ]−Σ−Ι; below the belly of the lion is an M-like 2) Tekirdağ Museum (inv. no 15, tentative). H which stands for ημίμναιον (mna of 496 g); all in Mna (Fig. 2) relief. The reverse is blank. Find place and date: Lead weight, triangular in form, measuring Bolayır, 2013. 85x86x13 mm and weighing 509 g; there are de- pressions (cuts) on the face. On the obverse is a lion 7) Private coll. (RK 005). jumping left, in relief. Above the lion, is a Λ?, i.e. Hemimnaion (Fig. 7) the initial letter for ethnic. Since the obverse is too A lead weight, rhombus in form with rounded worn it is difficult to identify the type (or the letter) corners; measuring 50x48x13 mm and weighing clearly. The reverse is blank. Its mass corresponds 241.2 g; worn. On the obverse is a lion protome to a mna. Find place and date: Bolayır, 2013. jumping right, head turned back; on each corner, from top left, Λ−[Υ]−Σ−Ι; below the belly of the 3) Private coll. (RK 001). lion (between Σ and Ι), H(μίμναιον), mna of Mna (Fig. 3) 482.4 g; all in relief. The reverse of the weight is This is a square lead weight measuring 66x65x blank. This weight was acquired in Tekirdağ in 12 mm and weighing 502.9 g with slightly rounded 1990s or later. corners; worn. On the obverse, a lion jumping right; on each corner, from top left, Λ−Υ−Σ−Ι; below the 8) Tekirdağ Museum (inv. no 8, tentative). belly of the lion, M; all in relief. While Hemimnaion (Fig. 8) Λ−Υ−Σ−Ι stands for (Λυσιµαχέων), M stands for This lead weight is square in form with rounded µνᾶ. The reverse of the weight is blank. This weight corners and slightly concave edges; it measures was acquired in Tekirdağ in 1990s or later.