Hidden Power

Late Cistophoric Production and the Organization of Provincia Asia (128-89 BC)

By (author) Lucia Carbone

Book cover: Hidden Power

Extent: 415, 415 pages

Publisher: American Numismatic Society

Subjects: Asian/Pacific Studies & Religions, Classical Studies, Numismatics

Series: Numismatic Studies

Series volume number: 42

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(May 2020)

ISBN: 9780897223638

10.94 x 8.46 inches

Price: $100.00

In stock

Using the production and circulation patterns of the Asian cistophorus as a case study, Hidden Power seeks to develop a better understanding of Roman monetary policy in the province of Asia between its establishment in the 120s BC and the beginning of the Mithraditic Wars. The book catalogues and illustrates some 1,737 cistophoric te


Using the production and circulation patterns of the Asian cistophorus as a case study, Hidden Power seeks to develop a better understanding of Roman monetary policy in the province of Asia between its establishment in the 120s BC and the beginning of the Mithraditic Wars. Hidden Power catalogues and illustrates some 1,737 cistophoric tetradrachms and fractions from the mints of Ephesus, Pergamum, Tralles, Laodicea, Apamea, Adramyteum, Nysa, and Smyrna. Most of the coins included in the study are late cistophori, issues between 134.3 BC and the 60s BC. Appendix I provides a discussion of the late cistophori of Tralles struck after 89 BC, showing not only the direct correlation between cistophori and Roman military campaigns, but also Roman taxation. In Appendix II, circulation data have been combined with data derived from the Tralles die study in order to calculate cistophoric production for the entirety of provincia Asia until the end of the late cistophori. This estimate provides a means to assess the financial impact of Roman taxation and exploitation by Roman imperatores over the course of the first half of the first century BC.

  • By (author) Lucia Carbone