The Lost Mints of Troas: A Coin Hunt in Homer's Lands

At the northwestern tip of Anatolia, the Biga Peninsula, stretching between the Hellespont (Dardanelles) and the Aegean Sea, was known as Troas in antiquity. These lands, Homer's

are immortalized as the setting for the legendary Trojan War recounted in his *Iliad*. Although the region's name is often associated with major centers like Troy (Ilion) and the later-founded Alexandria Troas, the numismatic richness of Troas extends far beyond these two cities. In antiquity, at least 25 different mints operated in this small geographical area, including the island of Tenedos (Bozcaada). The coins from these "lost" or lesser-known mints offer invaluable clues for understanding the region's complex political structure, local economies, and rich mythological world.  

The numismatic landscape of Troas is like a mosaic of small city-states striving to preserve their identities in the shadow of great powers. Most of these cities expressed their independence and local pride by striking their own autonomous silver and bronze coinage. The coins issued from these mints often bear distinctive designs reflecting the city's founding myth, patron deity, or most important economic activity.

For instance, Abydos, located on the strategic shores of the Hellespont, frequently used an eagle depiction on its coins. This powerful bird symbolized the city's maritime dominance and perhaps its devotion to Zeus. Abydos was an important center, competing with cities like Lampsacus and Cyzicus for a share of the strait's trade.  

Further south, Assos (Behramkale) established its numismatic identity around the mythical creature, the griffin. This lion-bodied, eagle-headed creature, appearing on the obverse of its coins, represented power and vigilance. The reverse typically featured a lion's head. Assos also held cultural significance as a city where Aristotle once lived and founded a philosophical school.  

Other smaller mints of Troas similarly adopted their unique symbols. Notable designs include a ram's head on coins of Cebren, a goat at Antandrus, and a three-quarter profile head of a Sibyl or Apollo at Gergis. Sigeion, on the other hand, chose an iconography reflecting its close ties with Athens: the head of Athena on the obverse and her symbol, the owl, on the reverse. This suggests that Sigeion was under the control of the Athenian general Chares in the 4th century BCE.  

The existence of these local coinages indicates that Troas was not merely a region of great wars and empires, but also possessed a vibrant economic and political life with its own internal dynamics. The fact that some cities, such as Abydos, Gergis, and Cebren, struck coins with similar designs during certain periods suggests the possibility of a monetary union or alliance (symmachy) among these cities.  

The conquest by Alexander the Great and the subsequent Hellenistic period brought an end to many of these smaller mints. Local currencies gave way to Alexander's standard imperial coinage and later to the coins of the kingdoms that dominated the region. However, the small silver and bronze coins they left behind are silent witnesses to the true history of these lands, adorned by Homer's legends – the struggles for independence, economic lives, and rich symbolic worlds of these small cities. Tracing the footsteps of these "lost" mints of Troas is, for a numismatist, akin to a journey of archaeological discovery.

Source:
https://asiaminorcoins.com/troas.html
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/archaeology-of-greek-and-roman-troy/ilion-athens-and-sigeion-during-the-fifth-and-fourth-centuries-bc/B97413B31DB197A534BD6124EC5DA733
https://coinweek.com/coins-of-ancient-greek-troas-troad-part-2/
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/troas/sigeon/