Tresors De Monnaies Antiques Trouves En Albanie (Ve-Ier Siecle Av. J.-C.) eBook

Albania, located in the southern part of ancient Illyria, is home to these twenty-seven "hoards" of coins dating from the middle of the fifth century BC to the reign of Augustus: the word hoard refers as much to a considerable sum won in war as to the capital accumulated by a warlord during campaigns overseas, but also to much smaller sums collected to fund a project that did not come to fruition, or a set of bronze coins that have lost their value following a currency change. The two cities founded by Corinth, Apollonia and Dyrrachion (also called Epidamne), began to coin money in the fourth century, but this form of wealth had already come to the attention of the Illyrians and the currency of the two cities quickly established itself as the financial tool of the region, used by both the Illyrians and the Greeks. Illyria is a little-known country, only mentioned by Greek and Latin authors in connection with the wars that involved its neighbours from Greece or Italy. For the modern historian, the hoards are the best source of information on the history of the country, and the great events which transformed the local currency, attracted foreign currencies and armies. It is this story that Shpresa Gjongecaj-Vangjeli reconstructed through these hoards.