On the numismatics of Colchis : the classical archaeologist's perspective - article ; n°1 ; vol.19, pg 233-256

Gocha R.Tsetskhladze

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Dialogues d'histoire ancienne - Année 1993 - Volume 19 - Numéro 1 - Pages 233-256
24 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

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• Publié par: DIALOGUES_D-HISTOIRE_ANCIENNE
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1993
• Nombre de lectures: 18
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

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Monsieur Goca Revazovic
Tsetskhladze
On the numismatics of Colchis : the classical archaeologist's
perspective
In: Dialogues d'histoire ancienne. Vol. 19 N°1, 1993. pp. 233-256.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Tsetskhladze Goca Revazovic. On the numismatics of Colchis : the classical archaeologist's perspective. In: Dialogues
d'histoire ancienne. Vol. 19 N°1, 1993. pp. 233-256.
doi : 10.3406/dha.1993.2084
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/dha_0755-7256_1993_num_19_1_2084DHA 19,1 1993 233-256
ON THE NUMISMATICS OF COLCHIS :
the classical archaeologist's perspective
Gocha R. TSETSKHLADZE
Oxford, Balliol College
In ancient times Greek authors referred to the territory
situated on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, within what is called
Western Georgia today, as Colchis * !. As early as the eighth
The following abbreviations have been used : DHA = Dialogues
d'histoire ancienne; RA = Revue Archéologique; VDI = Vestnik
Drevnei Istorii (Moscow).
On Colchis see the following works of O.D. LORDKIPANIDZE :
"Monuments of Greco-Roman culture on the territory of ancient
Georgia' Archaeologia, XVII (1966), p. 49-79 ; 'La civilisation de
l'ancienne Colchide aux Ve-IVe siècles', RA 2 (1971), p. 259-288 ; 'La
Géorgie et le monde grec', ВСЯ XCVIII (1974), p. 897-948 ; 'The Greco-
Roman world and Ancient Georgia (Colchis and Iberia)', Collection de
l'école française de Rome, 67 (1983), p. 123-44; 'Das alte Kolchis und
seine Beziehungen zur griechischen Welt zoom 6. zum 4. Jh. v. Chr.,
Xenia, Konstanzer althistorische Vortrage und Forschungen
(Konstanz, 1985), Heft. 14 ; 'Archéologie in Géorgien von der 234 Gocha R. Tsetskhladze
century ВС Eumelus refers to the "land of Colchis" (Eumelus, fr. 2)
and Hesiod calls Phasis, the main river of Colchis, one of the
greatest rivers of all (Hesiod. Theog., 337-340). At the end of the
sixth century ВС, as can be seen from references made by ancient
authors and also from archaeological investigations, the Kingdom
of Colchis came into being. The Ionian Greeks appeared in Colchis in
the mid sixth century ВС. It is in Colchis that ancient authors site
the cities of Phasis, Dioscuria and Gyenos. Unfortunately,
archaeological evidence for these cities has not yet been found,
while written sources, apart from listing them, do not provide any
additional information.
Despite the fact that a good deal was written about Colchis in
the Greco-Roman world, the works concerned have given us very
little reliable information. When we read them, the impression is
often that the authors were telling of some distant land that was
unknown to them, shrouded in myths and legends and renowned for
its riches. Modern scholars also knew little about Colchis until the
middle of this century. Unlike other parts of the ancient world,
which have for a long time been the subject of successful and
intensive investigation by archaeologists and historians, the
history of Colchis has only been made known thanks to the wide-
scale excavations carried out by Georgian archaeologists since the
1950s.
All new excavations bring us more and more interesting
information which makes it possible to transpose Colchis from a
world of myth to reality. However, as before, many matters
connected with the history and archaeology of the eastern coast of
the Black Sea still remain controversial, for example, the question
as to the Greek colonization of Colchis and many other questions
linked with that issue, which has in recent years become one of the
most controversial relating to the ancient history of the Black Sea
region 2.
One of the most important and crucial aspects of the question
of Greek colonization of the region to the East of the Black Sea is
Altsteinzeit zum Mittelalter' Weinheim : VCH, Acta Humaniora (1991)
Band 5, p. 93-145.
See : Problems of Greek Colonization of the Northern and Eastern
Black Sea Littoral : Materials of the First All-Union Symposium on the
Ancient History of the Black Sea Littoral, Tskhaltubo, 1977 (Tbilisi,
1979), p. 187-345, 369-406 (in Russian). DIALOGUES D'HISTOIRE ANCIENNE 235
the question of the presence of the Greeks in Colchis. Unfortunately,
comprehensive investigation of this question is complicated by the
fact that to this day no Greek settlements have been found in the
Eastern region of Pontus. Thus scholars are obliged to make do with
indirect sources which, however, still enable us to draw some
interesting conclusions.
The presence of Greeks in Colchis is today no longer under any
doubt or the subject of controversy. It has been borne out above all by
excavations of the Greek necropolis of the fifth-fourth centuries ВС
in Pichvnari and the discovery of a grave stele, bearing a three-
figure composition, on the sea-bed near Dioscuria. It dates from
about 430-420 ВС. The influence of the Greeks on Colchian society
was considerable. It is reflected in the economy, religion and art of
Colchis. Here, as in other peripheral areas of the ancient world,
Greek craftsmen, specially invited by the local aristocracy, were at
work : seal-makers, architects, bronzesmiths who fashioned statues.
In the interior of Colchis (not far from Vani) a Greek domestic altar
was found during excavation of the settlement of Sakanchia in the
cultural level relating to the end of the third century ВС. This
makes it clear that Greek craftsmen were living not merely in the
coastal strip but also at a good distance inland. The Greek language
was widespread in Colchis and decrees were even issued in that
language 3.
Coins from ancient Georgia, both those minted in situ and
those from abroad (together they number about 10.000), provide an
important source of evidence shedding light on many aspects of the
history of Colchis 4. Admittedely many questions connected with
3. G.R. TSETZKHLADZE, 'The Organization of ceramic production in
Colchis', Eirene 27 (1990), p. 56-65 ; id., 'Die Kolkhischen Stempel', KHo
73, (2) (1991), p. 361-381 ; id., 'Die Griechen in Kolkhis : Wirtschaftliche
Aspekte', Milnstersche Beitrage zur Antiken Handelsgeschichte 2
(1992) ; id., Colchis and Greek culture : a problem of Hellenization',
Mesopotamia 26 (1991).
4. On the numismatics of Colchis see the general works :
D.G. KAPANADZE, Numismatics of Georgia (Moscow, 1955) [in
Russian] ; D.M. LANG, Studies in the Numismatic History of Georgia
in Transcaucasia (New York, 1955), p. 6-11 ; K. GOLENKO, 'Kolchis',
Chiron 2 (1972), p. 566-609 ; G. DOUNDOUA, 'Les Kolkhidki', DHA 8
(1982), p. 53-60 ; id., 'Les trésors monétaires', Dossiers histoire et
archéologie 88 (1984), p. 85-6 ; id., Numismatics of Ancient Georgia
(Tbilisi, 1987) [in Russian] ; id., 'Géorgie antique', A Survey of
Numismatic Research 1985-1990 (Brussels, 1991), Vol. I, p. 161-4. Gocha R. Tsetskhladze 236
the numismatics of Colchis are controversial and still require to be
resolved once and for all. Reliable interpretation of these questions
could help us glean a clearer picture of the nature of the Greek
colonization of the region to the east of the Black Sea, regarding the
status of the Greek cities, the circulation of money, of trading and
economic relations between Colchis and the Greek world, and the
political history of this part of the Black Sea region.
The aim of this article is not only to bring to scholars'
attention the as yet unpublished Colchian coins 5 but also to provide
a general survey of the numismatics of Colchis, which it is hoped
will be of interest to our colleagues in the West, and to put forward
an interpretation of certain issues relating to the history of Colchis
based on numismatic material and a comparison of this with other
sources.
Colchian Coins
There are few things about the Colchian coins (Kolchidki)
which are not, or have not at some time been, the subject of
controversy. The coin types, their date of issue and circulation, their
weights, the standard on which they were struck and the issuing
authority (whether Colchian rulers or Phasis, the colony of
Miletus) have all been hotly debated.
Several types and nominals of the Kolchidki have survived
to the present day. The largest of them is the so-called
tetradrachm.
1. Tetradrachm
Weights, 10,4g ; 12,7g ; 13,8g (examples in London 6, the
Hague 7 and Tbilisi 8).
5. I should like to thank Prof. Sir John Boardman, Dr. M. Price,
Dr. C. Howgego, Dr. O. Murray, Mr. P. Withers, Mr. R. Ashton and
Mr. D. Darwish for their help.
6. D.M. LANG, 'Notes on Caucasian Numismatics1, NC6 17 (1957), p. 138.
7. DOMPIERRE DE CHAUFEPJE, 'Quelques monnaies grecques de la
Collection. Six acquises par le Cabinet royal de numismatique de la
Hague', RBN 4 (1907), p. 149, N : 35.
8. D.G. KAPANADZE, 'Notes on Numismatics of Ancient Colchis', VDI 3
(1950), p. 195 [in Russian]. DIALOGUES D'HISTOIRE ANCIENNE 237
Obv. Lion's head, to 1. ; mouth open showing fangs and tongue 9
Rev. Winged Pegasus, to г.,