Greek Coinage in Dalmatia and Trans-Adriatic Relations in the 4th Century BC

Abstract

Evidence for Syracusan colonization in the eastern Adriatic remains elusive. However, Syracusan bronze issues of Dionysius I-II have been found in Dalmatia in some quantity. Since these coins circulated in Southern Italy during the Dionysian tyranny, they could have reached Dalmatia in connection with Syracusan naval activity in the Adriatic between 385/384 and 357/356 B.C. The introduction by Pharos of a silver and bronze coinage on a standard similar to that of Syracuse may also be explained by Syracusan influence in the region in the first half of the 4^th century. Pharos had a silver coinage c. 375 –350 B.C. and minted only bronze coins thereafter. In contrast, Issa began minting bronze coins as an independent city towards the end of the 4^th century. Its earliest issues and Syracusan bronzes with head of Athena / hippocamp were overstruck by the Pharians c. 320 –300 B.C. Other Issaean bronzes with volute krater / grape cluster must be dated to the second half of the 3^rd century, since some of them are overstruck on litras of Hieron II. These coin types may allude to the excellence of Issaean wine for the symposium and the cult of Dionysus, and to the growth of Issa’s wine trade. Even though Issa, in particular, had commercial relations with Italy, the circulation of Issaean and Pharian coins in the Hellenistic period appears to have been limited to Dalmatia.