Tracing the local(s) : the local world of Mediterranean landscapes in greek and roman coinage

Ancient coinage is one of the most fascinating and key sources when it comes to thinking about all kind of local identities. They were minted since the beginning of Archaic Greek history until the end of Late Roman times by all different kind of peoples in the ancient world: cities, kings, tribes, factions, leagues. They all had one thing in common: they produced coins not only as means of payment, but used the small space on their coins to cut images of what they felt would express their identities. The text and the images that resulted out of this need are as manifold and different as the minting authorities who shaped them. This is where the book wants to set in: eleven authors from different research aeras discus the phenomenon of expressing local identity, ranging from classical Greek to Roman late antiquity, from Spain to Asia Minor.

The contributions cover fascinating topics like ancient Cyrene with its striking Apollo Carneius originated in Laconia, hellenistic king influencing numismatic developments in Cilicia, the Capuan League and its resistance against Rome or the regional use of the Marsyas Forum-type in Asia Minor. The authors will respond to questions regarding the shape, use and expression of local identities on coinage. How were local identities constructed? Which images and languages were used, who influenced the choice of design and what can these images tell us about social, political and religious realities of the people using them? And finally, what is "locality" in itself? Something bound by culture, language, politics or borders?

In answering and discussing these questions the book aims to interpret coins as one of the most important carries of local identities, a striking phenomenon that spans through space and time and was therefore shared by many cultures in the ancient world.