Monetary History of Japan As legend has it, Japan was founded around 660BC by a direct descendent of the Sun Goddess. It is from this basic legend that Japan derives the name of “Land of the Rise Sun.” Japan has a long monetary history which dates back to when coins were first introduced from neighboring Korea […]

Monetary History of The Byzantine Empire Currently under construction     Constantinian dynasty (306-363) 1. Constantine I (Constantinus Pius Felix Invictus Augustus Pontifex Maximus Pater Patriae Proconsul; 272 – 337; ruled 306 – 337) – son of Constantius Chlorus 2. Constantius II (Flavius Iulius Constantius; 317 – 361; ruled 337 – 361) – son of […]

Monetary History of Judaea First Revolt   While there were tensions over religion, what really began the crisis was taxation which was fueled also by the clash of dynasties in Judaea. The hatred of Roman taxation first emerged during the civil war between Octavian and Marc Antony and Cleopatra. To fund an army, Antony and […]

The Ionian Uprising (Ephesus) By the year 500 B.C. the Persian authority on Ionian cities had weakened. After an unsuccessful attempt by satrap of Sardes (regional governor of Persian controlled states) to take control of the island of Nacsos, a rebellion spirit had started to rise amongst the Ionian city-states. The tyrant of Ephesus Aristagoras […]

Monetary History of Sicily   Naxos Naxos was the first Greek colony to be founded in Sicily around 734 BC. The colonists originated from Euboia (Chalkidians). Naxos was located on the rich and fertile upper west coast of Sicily in the shaddow of Mt Etna. Despite being the first Greek colony, Naxos also lived in […]

Monetary History of Persia Darius I 510-486 BC Darius I, The Great was the son of the Persian noble Hystaspes who was a member of a royal Persian family, the Achaemenids. Darius I was born about 558 BC. Upon the death of King Cambyses II in 522 BC (his brother-in-law), Gaumata, a Magian priest, attempted to take the […]

Monetary History of Macedonia Demetrius Poliorcetes “The Besieger” 294-288 BC Demetrius I Poliorcetes (“the besieger”) (c.337-283 BC) was the son of Antignos I the One-Eyed. He aided his father in what became the epic wars of theDiadochi (dìàd´ekì) [=successors]. In 308 BC, Demetrius I succeeded in defeating Ptolemy I of Egypt in a naval battle off the coast […]

Monetary History of Macedonia Kassander 319-297 BC In 297 BC, Kassander (Cassander) (358-297 BC) was born in 358 BC the son of Antipater, regent of Macedonia appointed by Alexander the Great. Upon the death of his father, Kassander succeeded to the throne of Macedonia in 316 BC – a position he would hold until his own death. Kassander was […]

Monetary History of Macedonia Alexander III The Great (339-323 BC) Alexander was born to the Olympias and Philip II. According to legend, Alexander was born on the same day as the Temple to Artemis at Ephesus (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.) was burned down. No one knows for certain, but it […]

The Monetary History of Macedonia Macedonia is located in the extreme northern regions of Greece between Thrace and Thessaly. The coastal regions of Macedonia and Thrace appear to have been colonized between the Eighth and Seventh centuries. The interior of these regions was occupied by indigenous tribes who gradually became influenced by the Greek culture. […]