Hidden Power: Late Cistophoric Production and the Creation of Provincia Asia

Hardback, vii + 266 pages, Size:216 x 280 mm, Illustrations:226 b/w, 32 tables b/w., Language: English. ISBN 9780897223638. Summary Using the production and circulation patterns of the Asian cistophorus as a case study, Hidden Power seeks to develop a better understanding of Roman monetary policy in the province of Asia between its establishment in the 120s BC and the beginning of the Mithraditic Wars. Hidden Power catalogues and illustrates some 1,737 cistophoric tetradrachms and fractions from the mints of Ephesus, Pergamum, Tralles, Laodicea, Apamea, Adramyteum, Nysa, and Smyrna. Most of the coins included in the study are late cistophori, issues between 134.3 BC and the 60s BC. Appendix I provides a discussion of the late cistophori of Tralles struck after 89 BC, showing not only the direct correlation between cistophori and Roman military campaigns, but also Roman taxation. In Appendix II, circulation data have been combined with data derived from the Tralles die study in order to calculate cistophoric production for the entirety of provincia Asia until the end of the late cistophori. This estimate provides a means to assess the financial impact of Roman taxation and exploitation by Roman imperatores over the course of the first half of the first century BC. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Chapter 1: The 2002 Hoard (90/89 BC): An Overview Chapter 2: Cistophoric Production at Pergamum Chapter 3: Cistophoric Production at Ephesus Chapter 4: Cistophoric Production at Tralles Chapter 5: Cistophoric Production at Laodicea Chapter 6: Cistophoric Production at Apamea Chapter 7: Cistophoric Production at Adramyteum Chapter 8: Cistophoric Production at Nysa Chapter 9: Cistophoric Production at Smyrna Chapter 10: Conclusions Appendix I: Late Cistophoric Production at Tralles after 89 BC Appendix II: Cistophoric Production and the Impact of Roman Taxation (105-ca. 58 BC) Conclusions Bibliography Indices Plates