Greek City of Istros in Thrace -
Bronze 13mm 2.49g Struck 200-100 B.C.
Head of Apollo right.
ΙΣΤΡΙ, Sea-eagle standing right, on dolphin right, which it attacks with its
beak.
A Milesian colony, its large output of silver coinage in the first half of the
4th Century suggests that it was a place of commercial importance.
You are bidding on the exact
item pictured, provided with a Certificate of Authenticity and Lifetime
Guarantee of Authenticity.
Ancient Histria or Istros (Ιστριη, Thracian
river god, Danube), was a Greek colony or polis (πολις, city)
on the
Black Sea coast, established by
Milesian settlers to trade with the native
Getae. It became the first
Greek town on the present day
Romanian territory.
Scymnus of
Chios (ca 110 BC), the Greek geographer and poet, dated it to 630
BC.
Eusebius of Caesarea, some centuries later, dated its founding to
657 – 656 BC, at the time of the 33rd
Olympic Games. The earliest documented currency on
Romanian territory was an 8-gram
silver
drachma, issued in Histria in the year 480 BC.
Ancient towns and colonies in
Dobruja (modern coastline shown).
Archaeological evidence seems to confirm that all trade with the
interior followed the foundation of Histria. Traders reached the
interior via Histria and the
Danube valley, demonstrated by finds of Attic
black-figure pottery, coins, ornamental objects, an
Ionian
lebes and many fragments of
amphoras.
Amphoras have been found in great quantity at Histria, some imported
but some local. Local pottery was produced following establishment of
the colony and certainly before mid-6th century. During the archaic and
classical periods, when Histria flourished, it was situated near fertile
arable land. It served as a port of trade soon after its establishment,
with fishing and agriculture as additional sources of income. By 100 AD,
however, fishing was almost the sole remaining source of Istrian
revenue.
Around 30 AD, Histria became a
Roman town. During the Roman period from the 1st to 3rd centuries
AD, temples were built for the Roman gods, besides a public bath and
houses for the wealthy. Altogether, it was in continuous existence for
some 14 centuries, starting with the Greek period up to the Roman-Byzantine
period. The
Halmyris bay where was the city founded was closed by sand deposits
and access to the
Black Sea gradually was cut. Trade continued until the 6th century
AD. The invasion of the
Avars and the
Slavs in the 7th century AD almost entirely destroyed the fortress,
and the Istrians dispersed; the name and the city disappeared.
>Geographic
setting
Ancient Histria was situated on a peninsula, about 5 kilometres
(3 mi) east of the modern
Romanian commune of
Istria, on the
Dobruja coast. The ancient seashore has since been transformed into
the western shore of
Sinoe Lake, as the Danube's silt deposits formed a
shoal which closed off the ancient coastline. The current
Sinoe Lake was at the time the open northern bay, while another bay
on the southern shore served as the port. The acropolis with sanctuaries
was established on the highest point of the coastal plain. The
settlement itself, erected in the 6th century, was 1/2 mile (800 meters)
to the west of the acropolis. The settlement had stone paved streets and
was protected by strong wall. Water was collected along 12.5 mile (20
km) long aqueducts.
>Archaeology
The ruins of the settlement were first identified in 1868 by French
archaeologist Ernest Desjardins. Archaeological
excavations were started by
Vasile Pârvan in 1914, and continued after his death in 1927 by
teams of archaeologists led successively by Scarlat and Marcelle
Lambrino (1928–1943), Emil Condurachi (1949–1970), Dionisie Pippidi,
Petre Alexandrescu and Alexandru Suceveanu. The Histria Museum, founded
in 1982, exhibits some of these finds. The excavation project and site
also features prominently in the film
The Ister.[1]
Archeological research in Histria managed to identify and classify
several layers on site. The layer
stratification can be divided primarily between the Archaic and
Classical periods:
>Archaic
Greek layers
The ancient Greek city covered around 60
hectares. There are very few written references to the archaic city
and archeological research provides the main historical resource. The
main deity was
Apollo Ietros (The Healer).
Zeus (Gr. Polieus) was the protector deity of the city and
Aphrodita was also confirmed by archeological research. Historians
believe all six Milesian tribes (Greek: phylai) were represented
in the colony, yet only four tribes are attested to: the
Aigikoreis,
Argadeis,
Boreis and
Geleontes. The only clue concerning the government of the city was
given by
Aristotle in
Politica. Thanks to his comment, it is clear that the first
government of Histria was an
oligarchy. From an economic point of view, the town was developed
around
port-related activities
>Archaic
Greek layer I (630–600 BC)
In around 600 BC, Histria suffered its first destruction.
>Archaic
Greek layer II (600–550 BC)
A new wall was erected, probably due to another destruction of the
city.
>Archaic
Greek layer III (550–500 BC)
Another destruction of the city has taken place, probably in
512 BC, when
Darius I undertook a war against the
Scythians.
[2]
>Classical
Greek layers
During the classical period, there was continuity in the cults of
Apollo Ietros;
Zeus (Gr. Polieus) and
Aphrodita. A new wall with a single tower was erected. During the
classical period many written sources describe the political
organisation of the area. The
Odrysian kingdom was involved in fighting with the
Scythians ruled by
Ariapeithes and Histria was situated between the two kingdoms. Due
to that, most probably, Histria town was forced to join the
Delian League. In the 5th century BC, these colonies were under the
influence of the
Delian League, passing in this period from
oligarchy to
democracy.[3]
From an economic point of view it was during this era that the first
Histrian coins were
minted: a
didrachma,
oboli and bronze coins.
>Classical
Greek layer I (500–425 BC)
The town was regressing in the period of Athens's
Peloponnesian Wars.
>Classical
Greek layer II (425–350 BC)
The town was dismantled for a second time in the 4th century BC,
during the war between the
Scythian king
Ateas and Macedonian king
Philip II.[4]
>Hellenistic
layers
During the Hellenistic period, there was continuity in the cult of
Apollo Ietros,
Zeus (Gr. Polieus) and
Aphrodita. A new temple for a grand deity was built. There is
also evidence of the cult of Athena, Poseidon, Helikonios, Taurios,
Demetra, Hermes Agoraios, Heracles, Asclepios, Dioscurii and others. A
new wall also appears, protecting a 10
ha area. During the Hellenistic period Histria had become an
important supplier of grain for Greece.[5]
However, the economic power of Histria was represented by trade.[6]
In the Hellenistic period, the gymnasium and the theater were erected.
>Hellenistic
layer I (350–300 BC)
The town was once again destroyed around 339 BC. During the period
313–309 BC, a rebellion of
Pontic towns took place.[7]
Miletus however awarded Histrians equal political rights, or
so-called
isopoliteia.
>Hellenistic
layer II (300–175 BC)
Around 260 BC,
Byzantium was involved in a dispute with Histria and Callatis
(modern
Mangalia) over Tomis emporion (Εμπόριον, market) (i.e. modern
Constanţa). Another destruction of the city, somewhere around 175
BC, was most probably wreaked by
Bastarni passing through after being called upon by Macedonian king
Philip V or
Perseus to reinforce the army.
>Hellenistic
layer III (175–100 BC)
Mithridates installed a military garrison in Histria, which probably
caused the third destruction of the city in the Hellenistic period.
During the rule of
Mithridates
staters are minted in Histria.
>Hellenistic
layer IV (100–20 BC)
Burebista arrived in Dobruja. The Hellenistic period was ended by
Marcus Antonius who was in charge of the eastern Roman government,
and was defeated by
Octavian at
Actium.
>Roman
layers
>Early
Roman layer IA (30–100 AD)
Continuous with the Hellenistic period. A new
thermae (Thermae I) was built. This period is considered by
historians, thanks to two inscribed artifacts, as the second founding of
the city.
>Early
Roman layer IB (100–170 AD)
In around 170 AD, a part of the town was destroyed.
>Early
Roman layer IC (170–250 AD)
The town suffered serious destruction from which it never recovered.
The main theory is that it was destroyed by a
Gothic invasion. Another theory presumes that the town was destroyed
in an earthquake.
|