Contact and Demarcation Patterns based on the Excavation Coins from Heraclea Sintica, season 2021

Abstract

The archaeological site of Heraclea Sintica holds a strategic position between Thrace and Macedonia. Its exact location was only identified in the last two decades, thus providing new information about the contact zone between these regions. With every excavation season, it yields discoveries of all kinds with the utmost impact on historical research of the region and beyond. The historical development has therefore become much clearer due to this progress. One of the main material groups that especially uncovers economic and cultural contact is coinage. However, it bears far more facetted information as one centrally and intentionally processed media of whatever the mint authority was. The material from the 2021 excavation season represents a wide range of coinages that cover all periods. For the first time, coinage from the acropolis is also being compared to the usual material from the forum. It discloses data about the general supply in Heraclea and many other aspects of civil development. In particular, the possibility emerges to recognise patterns of demarcation reflected on the coin finds from the site.