Maia Pataridze Georgian National museum (Georgia, Tbilisi) David Mikeladze Independent Researcher (Georgia, Tbilisi)
Aristarchus, the Ruler of Colchis (numismatic research)
summary A new specimen of the coin of Aristarchus of Colchis was found in the vicinity of Igoeti in 2018. The presented paper aims to publish and introduce this find to scholarly community as we believe every new discovery is a significant asset for the further research. Besides, we managed to get photocopies from the world’s museums (Berlin Bode Museum Munzkabinett, Ashmolean Museum (Oxford), British Museum, Cabinet of Medals at Paris, St. Petersburg Hermitage Museum) where Aristarchus’ coins are preserved and publish them together with the new specimen. One of the authors of the article had an opportunity to inspect the Berlin coin. Aristarchus coins were hitherto known to the students through plaster impressions. The iconography of these coins from different museums had been studied as comprehensively as possible. The present paper offers detailed description of all coins minted in the name of Aristarchus ruler of Colchis done on the basis of digital photocopies along with the lately discovered specimen. New details and features are added on to the previous descriptions. The comparative-stylistic analysis made it possible to trace dynamics of degradation of iconography and identification of various coin dies. Emission frequency rates were also clarified through analysis of various dies. The authors tried to raise an issue on continuation of the emission. Namely, it is suggested that the emission continued after Aristarchus was no more a ruler due to the demands of local market. The paper primarily aimed at publishing a new discovery of coins of Aristarchus from Igoeti -an interesting and important asset for further research, since the number of Aristarchus coins is small.
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