Tokens in Classical Athens and Beyond

The book explores the roles of symbola, or tokens, in Classical Athens, bringing together scholars from various disciplines to reshape our knowledge of their significance. It includes case studies, new finds, and comparative studies from Sicily, Jerusalem, and Ephesos, aiming to develop expertise in studying tokens and increase relevant knowledge.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 01 July 2023
Publisher: Liverpool University Press

An Open Access edition of this book is available on the Liverpool University Press website and the OAPEN library. A selection of essays on symbola, as the tokens of Classical Athens were called, brings together scholars of various disciplines and professional categories (numismatists, historians, museum curators) that intends to reshape our knowledge on the roles these objects played in the Athenian Democracy. This is a series of case studies which aspires to test old theories and probe new assumptions. The first section explores the extent to which our knowledge has evolved since symbola were first distinguished from coins. Four essays demonstrate how tokens, as material manifestations of particular institutions, contributed to the formation of civic and political identity in the city-state of Athens and the roles they played in ensuring legal and political equality. The second section of the volume on new finds aims to develop expertise in studying tokens and increase relevant knowledge. Finally, a third section contains comparative studies from Sicily, Jerusalem and Ephesos, aiming to adopt a comparative methodology for a better understanding of the characteristics and roles of tokens from across the ancient Mediterranean. Contributors: Vera Geelmuyden Bulgurlu, Tumay Hazinedar Coscun, Antonino Crisà, Yoav Farhi, P. J. Finglass, Mairi Gkikaki, Irini Karra, James Kierstead, John H. Kroll, Stamatoula Makrypodi, Christian Mondello, Daria Russo, Martin Schäfer.

Dimension: 239 x 163 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781837643899