Drachms of Dyrrachium and Apollonia from the area of Visoko Cover Image

Drahme Apolonije i Dirahija sa područja Visokog
Drachms of Dyrrachium and Apollonia from the area of Visoko

Author(s): Samra Terzić
Subject(s): Archaeology, Local History / Microhistory, Ancient World
Published by: JU Zavičajni muzej – Visoko
Keywords: Dyrrachium;Apollonia;coin;The Regional museum in Visoko; Old town Visoki;magistrat

Summary/Abstract: The paper presents two drachms minted in the 1st century B.C. by the Greek colonies of Dyrrachium and Apollonia. The drachm of Dyrrahium of unknown provenience has long been in the Numismatic collection of the Regional museum in Visoko. It can be traced back to the last phase of issuance of this type of drachms in Dyrrachium, dated ca. 80-40 B.C. the drachms of Apollonia was discovered in march 2020 in the area of the Old town Visoki by Mak Sirčo and remains in his possesion. The coin is well preserved and datable to the last phase of issuance of such drachms in Apollonia, ca. 80/70-48 B.C. The discovery of the coin in the area of the Old town of Visoki is of great importance because this kind of finding refers to the fact that this area was inhabited in the Iron Age by the population which, directly or indirectly, had contacts with the neighbouring tribes as well as the Greeks living along the Adriatic coast. These two coins make reference to ancient trade routes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The departure point of one of these routes was Narona. The route further led to Mostar and, via Ivan Sedlo, to Sarajevo. In Sarajevo, the road was divided into two branches. The first one led to Pale and further to Pljevlja and the second one to Fojnica and Vareš. However, it is important to mention that both drachms could have come to central bosnia from the north, actually from the areas of Danube and Sava valleys inhabited by Celtic tribes, where multiple coin hoards and single coin findings of these coins have been identified.

  • Issue Year: 1/2020
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 9-20
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: Bosnian