Broucheion

Hi @DonnaML, I love all the Alexandrians! @Curtisimo identified the Mentor collection in a recent post here. “From the collection of a Mentor (George E. Muller, Dir. of ancient coins at Spink from 1953-1982), ex Naville Numismatics 74, lot 42 (June 2022)” - Broucheion

Hi @mercedesq, It’s not Ptolemaic. No idea where it’s from. - Broucheion

Hi All, PTOLEMY II PHILADELPHOS (285-246 BCE) PHOENICIA, TYRE, ca 266/265 BCE Ar Stater (Tetradrachm) Size: 25 mm Weight: 13.41 g Die Axis: 00:00 Broucheion Collection P-2015-09-19.001 Obv: Ptolemy I head facing right, wearing diadem and scaly aegis tied by snakes. Dotted border. Rev: Εagle on thunderbolt facing left. In left field: TYP monogram over club of Heracles. Legend to left: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ; to right: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ. Large lyre countermark above eagle's shoulder. Dotted border. Refs: Lorber CPE-561; Svoronos-644, pl xix, 14 [25 listed]; SNG Copenhagen-482 to 483 (this on is closer to 483). Note: Reverse large lyre countermark above eagle's shoulder. Next: Another countermarked silver coin. - Broucheion

Sorry @DonnaML, I forgot to refresh. Next would be a boar. - Broucheion

My avatar coin. This was the coin I always thought would cap my collecting. I got it only after 10 years or so of active collecting. Sweet! ∎ References: Svoronos 1509, pl lii, 11-12 [4 listed, specimen δ subaeratum]. Three obverse die links known, per J Olivier. ∎ Hoard: Keneh, 1923 (IGCH 1708), Newell (1927), pl iii, 3. The date should be read across both fields, as LΛC KAI A. This double date appears in two other Ptolemaic documents, a demotic papyrus (P. Dem. Fouad) and a stela (I.G. Fayum 198); in both cases it takes the form "year 36, which corresponds to year 1," a standard dating convention in Ptolemaic texts. [NB: This system of double dating is known from papyri also and is now known to have been used only between July & August 145 BCE.] RS Poole (1883, pp. lxvii-lxviii) interpreted the double date as referring to a brief coregency at the end of the reign of Ptolemy Philometor, and he identified the newly elevated heir with Ptolemy Eupator and numbered him Ptolemy VII. This historical reconstruction, or an alternative involving Philometor's younger son, has been accepted by most Ptolemaic historians. O Mørkholm (ANS MN 20 1975, pp 9) submitted that subtle evidence of obverse die wear established this issue to be earlier than the year 36 issue of Philometor alone (CPE 1121temp) and hypothesized that the double date was used only at the moment of the elevation of Ptolemy VII. More recent scholarship has argued that there is no real evidence for this brief joint reign in the dating formularies of documents. This is the accepted explanation Lorber espouses. M Chauveau (1990; 1991) suggested that the double dates on the coin and in the inscription may reflect a new set of regnal years for Ptolemy VI in Syria, exactly as can be seen on the Syrian coinage of Cleopatra VII more than a century later. W Huss (2001, p 588 n 409) expressed the belief that Ptolemy VI was already dead at the time of this coin issue; he interpreted the double date as equating the last year of Ptolemy Philometor with the first year of Ptolemy Euergetes. ACCS #51EO/GK/CO/OC: 21-Dec-1993. Same dies as ET Newell (Standard Ptolemaic Silver, 1946), pp 9 & pl v, 3. Sixth known specimen of this type; Don Doswell has #7 (ex-Spink). ANS specimen is ANS 1944-100-78775. BMC lists coin as "not in British Museum Collection." Ex-COLOSSEUM COIN EXCHANGE, Inc (NJ, USA): Auction 72 (13 Oct 1993), Lot #20 Next another avatar or a silver tetradrachm. - Broucheion

Hi All, I forgot to mention that there is a rare Ptolemaic AE attributed by Lorber to Melos. It is BMC Aegean Islands, p. 105, 22-25, pl. xxiv; 4 (See CPE-B411). - Broucheion

Hi @kirispupis, There is a more up to date reading on the 1907 Melos hoard at JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/stable/42662578 ("THE MELOS HOARD OF 1907 RE-EXAMINED" by Colin M. Kraay in The Numismatic Chronicle and Journal of the Royal Numismatic Society, Seventh Series, Vol. 4 (1964), pp. 1-20 (23 pages). - Broucheion

Hi All, Salamis in Cyprus. PTOLEMY VI & PTOLEMY VIII (JOINT REIGN: 170/169-164 BCE) CYPRUS, SALAMIS, Year 5 (166/165 BCE) Ar Stater (Tetradrachm) Size: 25 mm Weight: 14.14 g Die Axis: 12:30 Broucheion Collection: P-2007-01-23.001 Obv: Ptolemy I head facing right, wearing diadem and scaly aegis tied by snakes. Dotted border not visible. Rev: Eagle facing left, wings closed, on thunderbolt. Legend left field: ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ and owl standing facing left; right field: ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ, LE above ΣΑ mint mark. Dotted border. Refs: CPE-II 1146 temp Provenance: NAC 29, 11 May 2005, lot 238 (listed as "Ptolemy IV Philopator, 221-205 No 238.") see https://www.acsearch.info/search.html?id=222012 [confirmed 30 Oct 2023]. Weight recorded there as 14.12 g; Freeman & Sear FPL 12, Winter 2007, lot 111 (THIS). Note: Obverse die not in Mørkholm & Kromann (1984). For latest die study see EA Carlen & CC Lorber: "Silver Coinage from the Co-regency of Ptolemy VI and VIII" (INR vol 13, 2018) where this coin is pl 5, #6. - Broucheion

Hi All, One free PDF Islamic text covering an earlier period is Jere L Bacharach's "Islamic History through Coins". This is available at Academia.edu . See https://www.academia.edu/38559278/Islamic_History_through_Coins. From the Preface: This second, updated edition of Islamic History through Coins includes over 350 additional specimens, which are listed in the catalogue section under their appropriate number, that is, an increase of over twenty-five percent from the original database. New types and examples include another Misr 353 dinar, whose date is probably an error for 355, which was not fully identified in the first edition; dirhams for Dimashq for 334, 342, and 343; Tabariyah for 336, 346, and 353; and a dirham with the mint name Mecca and the date 334. The last is discussed in fuller detail in chapter two. Whenever possible, better images of the coins were used in this edition. To aid users of this electronic version, the data on the obverse and reverse types of regular Ikhshidid dinars and dirhams have been placed at the end of this book. I hope that through the input of reviewers and volunteer readers all the errors from the first edition have been corrected, but if not, their continued inclusion and any new ones are my responsibility. - Broucheion

Hi All, My Murad III with a slightly different reverse legend. I can't read it, so if anyone can translate it I'd be obliged. - Broucheion

Hi All, Mexico's alien corpse actually a cake? Baker's post goes viral on social media https://www.deccanherald.com/world/mexicos-alien-corpse-actually-a-cake-bakers-post-goes-viral-on-social-media-2692314 Works for me .... - Broucheion

Hi All, A Ptolemaic bee. PTOLEMY I SOTER (306/305-283 BCE) UNCERTAIN MINT 03, EGYPTIAN, PROBABLY MEMPHIS ca 306 - ca 303 BCE Ar STATER (TETRADRACHM) Size: 30x31 mm Weight: 15.64 g Die Axis:01:00 Broucheion Collection P-2019-06-26.001 OBV: Alexander the Great, wearing horn of Zeus-Ammon, diademmed head facing right, clad in elephant scalp and scaly aegis tied by snakes. Dotted border. REV: Athena Promachos striding right on tiptoe, brandishing spear and shield. She wears a helmet, a girdled chiton and a scarf falling in swallow-tail folds. Legend reading upwards: ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΥ. In left field: HΔΙ monogram above bee; In right field: eagle on thunderbolt. Dotted border. Refs: LORBER: CPE-0083; Sv-0153, pl v, 22-23 [14 listed]; COP-UNLISTED; S-7750var: different monogram; BMC 06.xxx, #045 Provenance: Ex Malter "The Coinage of Ancient Egypt," Auction II, 23-24 Feb 1978, Lot 16. - Broucheion

Hi @Amarmur, Looks Like Svoronos 1917. See https://numismatics.org/pco/id/svoronos-1904.1917?lang=en - Broucheion

Hi All, Faustina, Isis Pharia, and Pharos. FAUSTINA THE YOUNGER (UNDER ANTONINUS PIUS) ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT Year 12 (148/149 CE) Æ Drachma Size: 34 mm Weight: 23.6 g Axis: 00:00 Broucheion Collection R-2015-11-13.001 Obv: Faustina draped bust facing right. Legend: xxx - ΦAVCTINA. Border not visible. Rev: Isis Pharia standing right, holding a billowing sail. Pharos lighthouse with stairs before her. Legend: [LΔ] - ωΔЄ - KATOY. Dotted border. Refs: Emmett-1989.12; Geissen-Unlisted; Dattari-Savio-3289 & 9114; Milne-2009; BMC-1338. Prov: ex eBay seller; Ex-HA Auctions. - Broucheion

Hi All, One of my Alexandrian denari of Albimus. CLODIUS ALBINUS (Caesar 193-195; Augustus 195-197), ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT 194 AD, AR DENARIUS Size: 17x19 mm Weight: 2.57 g Axis: 00:00 Broucheion Collection R-2000-05-31.001 Obv: Clodius Albinus bare head facing right. Legend: [DCL]ODSEPT - [ALBI]N[CAES]. No border visible. Rev: Felicitas standing, facing left, holding a caduceus and scepter. Legend: [FELICI - TAS -] COS [II]. No border visible. Refs: RIC IV Unlisted; BMC-Unlisted. Prov: Ex-eBay (OLDROMANCOINS.COM) COMMENTS: Note 1. Curtis Clay (20 Jun 2005 e-mail to MONETA-L) : "Roger Bickford-Smith, in an unpublished 1993 monograph on Alexandrian denarii of which I have a copy, listed 14 spec., and I'll bet that at least another 14 examples have appeared on the market since 1993." Note 2. Doug Smith (from https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dougsmith/feac74per.html as seen 7 Aug 2023) : "Until recently (2009), all of the specimens for Clodius Albinus known to me have the reverse FELICITAS COS II showing the personification of Felicitas standing facing left holding a caduceus and scepter. The type is recognized from the Rome mint in all the major references (Cohen 15, Roman Imperial Coins 4, British Museum Catalog 91-92). All the known Felicitas reverse Alexandria coins (and some, but not all, coins from Rome) show the reverse legend split FELICI---TAS---COSII. Obverses however show several different splits. The upper left photo shows DCLODSEPTAL --- BINCAES while the lower left uses DCLODSEP --- TALBINCAES. While these are somewhat rare it should be noted that the number of different dies used on the known coins suggests that this was not a very small issue. More and more have been discovered in the hoard material currently appearing on the market. When this page was first posted (ca 2000) I stated that all of the Albinus Alexandria coins shared this reverse type but now I now stand corrected. There are extremely rare coins of this mint with a Fortuna seated reverse. I have not seen one in person but the photos leave no doubt that the identification is correct." Here's a Minerva with helmet on another Alexandrian denarius of Septimius Severius. SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS (14 April 193 - 211 CE) ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (FOR ROME) 195 CE Ar Denarius Size: 18x20 mm Weight: 2.36 grams Axis: 06:00 Broucheion Collection R-2001-03-31.001b Obv: Septimius Severus, laureate head, facing right. Legend: [IMPCAELSEP] - SEVPERT[AVG]. Dotted border. Rev: Minerva helmeted, standing facing left, left arm holding spear, right arm holding round shield. Legend: ΡMTRΡIII - C - OSIIIΡΡ[M]. Dotted border. Refs: RIC IV Alexandria, 350E; BMC-0328A (Rome); British Museum: R1946,1004.791 Note: Bickford-Smith observed, the die axis of Alexandrian denarii of Septimius Severius was predominantly upright in 194, but predominantly or exclusively inverted in 195. - Broucheion

Hi All, My retrograde year 7 for Saloninus was posted before here . Maybe by the same mint engraver? - Broucheion

Hi @Ancient Coin Hunter, My other Zodiac series coins were posted before. Zodiac Circle https://www.numisforums.com/topic/1666-zodiac-circle-on-ancient-coins/#comment-28842 Also at https://www.cointalk.com/threads/centaur-sagittarius.363872/#post-4664715 Aries and Scorpio (2 coins) https://www.cointalk.com/threads/mission-to-mars.363491/#post-4639799 Taurus https://www.cointalk.com/threads/show-me-your-bulls-cows-calves-and-any-other-beautiful-bovines.357200/page-2#post-4284283 - Broucheion

Hi All, Two Leos. ANTONINUS PIUS (10 Jul 138 - 7 Mar 161 CE ) ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT Year 08 (144/145 CE) Æ Drachm Size: 32x33 mm Weight: 20.1 g Axis: 11:00 Broucheion Collection R-2016-01-23.001 Obv: Antoninus Pius portrait bust facing right. Legend: [AVTKTAIΛAΔPANTωNINOCCEBEYC]. Border not visible. Rev: Zodiac Series: Sun in Leo. Radiate bust of Helios (Sun) in right field above lion (Leo) bounding right, star above lion's head not visible. In exergue: LH. Border not visible. Note: "Sun in Leo" is probably the most common of the Zodiac series from Alexandria but difficult to locate in nice condition. Æ Drachm Size: 33 mm Weight: 21.7 g Axis: 11:30 Broucheion Collection R-2014-01-27.001 Obv: Antoninus Pius portrait bust facing right. Legend: [AVTKTAIΛAΔPANTωNINOCCEBEYC]. Border not visible. Rev: Zodiac Series: Sun in Leo. Radiate bust of Helios (Sun) in right field above lion (Leo) bounding right, star above lion's head not visible. In exergue: LH. Border not visible. Note: "Sun in Leo" is probably the most common of the Zodiac series from Alexandria but difficult to locate in nice condition. - Broucheion

Hi All, An ancient flood coin many may have in their collections is from the recurring annual Nile Flood. Here is a typical example from Antoninus Pius and another that may allude to it by the mark on the obverse. See the intriguing article by Adolfo Eidelstein "«LIZ= 17» A Nilometer depiction on a coin of Hadrian from Alexandria". ANTONINUS PIUS (10 Jul 138 - 7 Mar 161 CE ) ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT Year 17 (153/154 CE) Æ Drachm Size: 33 mm Weight: 24.5 g Axis: 0 Broucheion Collection R-2000-02-27.001 Obv: Antoninus Pius laureate portrait bust facing right. Legend: [AY]TKTAIΛAΔP - AN[TωNINOC CEB]. Dotted border. Rev: Nilus reclining on a crocodile holding corn stalk in right hand and cornucopia cradled in left arm. In exergue four items: patera?, poppy flower, bird?, and ?. In left field small eros entering a rounded shrine and inscribing in it: Iς (the optimal number of cubits for the annual Nile flood). Above shrine: L. To right of corn stalk: IZ. Dotted border. Refs: Emmett-1622.17; Geissen-1707; Dattari-2763 var; Milne-2230; BMC-1152 var Appearance: Reverse has two ancient metal flow flaws at 11:30 & 1:30 positions. HADRIAN (11 Aug 117 - 10 Jul 138 CE) ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT Year 10 (125/126 CE) Æ Chalkon Size: 11x12 mm Weight 1.09 g Axis: 11:30 Broucheion Collection R-2019-09-30.001 Obv: Hadrian laureate head facing right: No legend except for I (high Nile marker?) in right field. Dotted border. Rev: Three grain ears tied at bottom. In left field: L; In right field: ΔЄ. Dotted border. Refs: Emmett-1176.10; Geissen-Unlisted; Dattari-Savio 1936, pl 95; BMC-891; Peus 398, 776. Note: For Nile marker information see Adolfo Eidelstein "«LIZ= 17» A Nilometer depiction on a coin of Hadrian from Alexandria". - Broucheion

Thanks @Valentinian, I've updated my database. (It pays for me to proof read after cutting and pasting). I think the coins are now RIC VI, Alexandria 103. - Broucheion

Hi All, Then again, there's also Lord Byron's graffito at Sounion. https://www.thearchaeologist.org/blog/lords-byron-graffiti-in-the-temple-of-sounio-in-greece - Broucheion

Hi All, @dougsmit had posted a mid19th century stereogram that included an ancient coin as one of the items displayed. He wrote about it on this list and at CoinTalk but I can’t locate the posts. Maybe he could chime in? - Broucheion

Hi @Marsyas Mike, I have over 20 articles in my library on the topic of Roman Egyptian cast fakes. Most are in French but enough are in English. The earliest I found was the 1905 article by Milne (Roman Coin-Moulds from Egypt), see JSTOR https://www.jstor.org/stable/42662134; the latest from 2020 by Irene Soto-Marin (Coin Molds and a Decentralized Monetary Policy in Tetrarchic Egypt) available at JSTOR (https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/27113062). Just search Google or Bing for "coin molds", "coin molds", or "cast coins" and Egypt". EDIT: I forgot to mention @Valentinian (Warren Esty)'s Ancient Roman Coin Molds (Moulds) at http://augustuscoins.com/ed/numis/molds.html - Broucheion

Hi All, Here's one from my Black Cabinet. From eBay seller DETRITUSVT - Petar Stanchev (Bulgaria). Price of $112.00 was refunded in full after I complained this was a fake. Seller did not want to bother with returning the item. A real coin of similar type was sold at CNG Triton VII #150 for U$3,800 plus 20% AUDOLEON MACEDONIA, PAEONIAN KINGS, ca 315-286 BCE Cast Fake Ar Stater (Tetradrachm) Size: 26x28 mm Weight: 19.09 g Axis: 2:00 Broucheion Collection GFAKE-2009-10-05.001 Obv: Alexander the Great Head in lion scalp, facing right. No legend. Dotted border. Rev: Zeus seated facing left, right leg drawn back, eagle in extended right hand, long vertical lotus-tipped sceptrer behind in left arm. In left field: ΑΥ monogram. Legend: ΑΥΔΩΛΕΟΝΤ[ΩΣ] ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ Refs: AMNG III 12; SNG ANS 1062; SNG Copenhagen Unlisted; Price 643b; See Waggoner, "Audoleon and his Alexander mint", in: RBN 129 (1983). Prov: eBay seller DETRITUSVT - Petar Stanchev (Bulgaria). Note 1: The Kingdom of Paeonia was a long-time an ally of Macedonia. King Audoleon's son, Ariston, distinguished himself at the battle of Gaugamela. One of Audoleon's daughters married Pyrrhus of Epirus. Audoleon was nearly defeated by the Illyrian Autariatae tribe, but was saved by Cassander. Astibus was probably the Kingdom's capital and mint city. Note 2: From I MERKER (The Ancient Kingdom of Paionia (With two Plates), 1965) : "Audoleon, was already king in 310." ... "Demetrios, later surnamed 'Poliorketes' or the 'Beseiger' won a great naval victory at Salamis in Kypros from Ptolemy the ruler of Egypt. As a result, Antigonos Monophthalmos, or 'One-Eyed,' Demetrios' father, assumed the royal diadem and the title of king. Alexander's son had been executed in 310, but until 306 all the diadochoi ruled their territories not as Kings, but as satraps or viceroys. As soon as Antigonos ended this friction all the diadochoi, one after the other, likewise assumed the royal dignities. If we look at the coinage of Audoleon we can see his response to this activity. During the early part of his reign Audoleon struck silver tetradrachms with the head of Athena on the obverse and a standing horse on the reverse. These coins were issued on the same light standard that was used by his predecessors Lykpeios and Patraos. Later, however, we find another type of tetradrachm. This one is an imitation of the coinage of Alexander the Great. On the obverse is the head of Herakles wearing a lion's skin. This head is often considered to be a portait of Alexander in the guise of his ancestor Herakles. But its appearance here on the coins of Audoleon would lead one to believe that it is rather kist the head of Herakles. On the reverse is a seated Zeus holding in one hand staff; on the other hand an eagle is perched. On either side of Zeus is the legend ΒΑΣΙΑΕΩΣ ΑΥΔΩΛΕΟΝΤΟΣ, 'of king Audoleon.' The coin speaks as clearly as any other source. When the diadochoi assumed the diadem, Audoleon did exactly the same thing; he responded by issuing his coins in imitation of Alexander's, with his own royal title to proclaim to the world that he, Audoleon, was independent, and also a king. Audoleon does not seem to have minted very many of these coins, but they seem to have served their purpose." - Broucheion

Hi All, Here are two showing Officina S (6). One official, and one a cast imitation, like that of @Marsyas Mike from Officina B (2). Overall, the coin portrait looks pretty good. MAXIMIANUS I HERCULIUS AUGUSTUS (With DIOCLETIAN: Jul 285 - 305) ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT ca Dec 308 - May 311 CE Æ Follis Size: 24x2 5mm Weight: 7.15 g Axis: 11:00 Broucheion Collection R-xxxx-xx-xx.065 Obv: Galerius Maximianus laureate head facing right. Legend: IMPCGALVALMAXIMINVSPFAVG. Dotted border. Rev: Zeus, nude, standing facing with head turned to left. Holds patera pouring a libation in outstretched left hand. Liquid from patera. Legend: GENIOIMP - ERATORIS. In left field: K; In right field: S over P. In exergue: ALE. Dotted border. Refs: RIC VI, Alexandria, 101a (OFF S). Provenance: Ex Imperial Coins & Antiques (David S. Michaels) Note: Reverse legens error, looks like "SRATORIS" instead of "ERATORIS". The cast imitation: MAXIMIANUS I HERCULIUS AUGUSTUS (With DIOCLETIAN: Jul 285 - 305) ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT ca Dec 308 - May 311 CE Æ Follis Size: 23x27 mm Weight: 6.69 g Axis: 6:00 ( ! ) Broucheion Collection R-2019-09-13.001 Obv: Galerius Maximianus laureate head facing right. Legend: IMPCGALVALMAXIMINVSPFAVG. Dotted border. Rev: Zeus, nude, standing facing with head turned to left. Holds patera pouring a libation in outstretched left hand. Liquid from patera. Legend: GENIOIMP - ERATORIS. In left field: K; In right field: S over P. In exergue: ALE. Dotted border. Refs: RIC VI, Alexandria, 101a (OFF S). Provenance: Ex eBay Note 1: From CEV Nixon (Journal of the Numismatic Association of Australia, vol 24, 2013) : "Technique of manufacture: To cast coins individually would have been very time-consuming, so ways were devised to speed the process. In the method used to make the moulds discussed here, a coin (or coins) would be pressed into a disc of moist clay to form a clear impression, then the process would be repeated, the coins removed, and the clay discs bound together carefully to form a sausage-like cylinder. A furrow would then be cut into the side of the cylinder so that many casts could be made one from one pour. The utmost care would be needed to bind the moulds together without distorting the impressions. This hypothesis neatly explains why each mould has impressions on both sides. Upon their cooling, the moulds would be broken apart and the cast coins extracted." Note 2: From B. Lichocka "Forgery on the Nile" (ACADEMIA, 2006) : "Copies were produced in at least several workshops strewn throughout the province of Egypt, but the same technology was used everywhere. There can be no doubt that the forgers had an excellent grasp of the properties of metal, and it is possible that official mint employees were involved in producing imitations. Such a suspicion finds support in the Theodosian Code, although previous legal regulations had also instituted penalties for dishonest mint employees." Note 3: Codex Theodosianus 9.21.3 [ed. T.Mommsen] : "The same [Augustus = Constantine I] to Tertullus, Proconsul of Africa: if anyone should fashion a coin by deceitful casting, we command that all his property be surrendered to the treasury, and that he himself should be punished with statutory severity, in order that such zeal for striking coins should be resorted to only in the mints. Issued on July 6th at Milan in the seventh consulship of Constantine A[ugustus] and the consulship of Constantius Caesar. [326] Other laws in 9.21 refer to counterfeit [adulterinus] coins: e.g. in years 319 and 321 and again in 389 and 393. Clearly, counterfeiting was an ongoing problem for the Roman authorities. The threat of being dispossessed of property or banished, or having other sanctions imposed, including against the individual in whose home coins were forged, did not provide a sufficient deterrent. Most likely, the death penalty was rarely employed against forgers of bronze coins. Perhaps the administration was so tied down with extracting and collecting numerous taxes, that it did not put much effort into punishing those who forged bronze coins, only useful in small, day-to-day transactions." - Broucheion