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Numismatic Collection
The Merovingian Monetary Coins as an Interdisciplinary Challenge in Medieval Studies
The Numismatic Collection (Prof. B. Kluge / Dr. K. Dahmen) is currently working on the documentation of its collection of coins from Merovingian times (6th to 8th century AC). Comprising around 500 objects, this collection is, after Paris, the second largest of its kind in Europe. The research project, supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), is being carried out in cooperation with the chair of the Medieaval History department at the University of Paderborn (Prof. J. Jarnut), as well as the chairs of Romance Studies (Prof. M. Selig) and German Studies (Prof. A. Greule) at the University of Regensburg. Beside documenting the coins in a comprehensive catalogue, the research intends to review the numerous names of rulers, moneyers and places inscribed in the coins. Here, the cooperation with specialists in history and language studies promises interesting findings of an interdisciplinary character. The aim is a joint publication providing a thorough analysis of the administrative structures of the Frankish Empire and its tribes, based on the numismatic documents, the findings of the name research and historical studies.
Further information: Dr. Karsten Dahmen (k.dahmen@smb.spk-berlin.de)
Urban Development, Housing and Living Conditions in Ancient Priene
As part of the DFG project and in cooperation with the Department of Archaeology of the University of Frankfurt (Prof. Dr. Wulf Raeck), the Numismatic Collection is analyzing the coins found at recent excavations. The research aims to draw conclusions about the use of bronze currency and the chronology of coins during the mid-Hellenistic period in the Maeander valley.
Project website
Further information: Dr. Bernhard Weisser (mk@smb.spk-berlin.de)
A New Research Project in Numismatics: Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum Paris Berlin Wien
The numismatic collections of Paris (Bibliothèque Nationale), Berlin (Staatliche Museen zu Berlin) and Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum) have come together to jointly publish their holdings of Sassanian coins. Paris owns around 7,000 Sassanian coins, Berlin approx. 2,500, and Vienna approx. 1,400. These coins represent an important and so far not sufficiently tapped source on the history of the Sassanian Empire which existed from 224 and 651 AC, centred around the region of present day Iran. Until the 7th century, when it was obliterated through Arab expansion, it intermittently represented the big opponent of the Roman Empire.
Of the final six volumes of Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum (SNS) have so far been published:
- Volume 1, containing the coins of Ardashir I (224 to 240 AC), founder of the Empire, and his successor Shapur I (240 to 272 AC). Authors: Michael Alram and Rika Gyselen
- Volume 3 (in two parts), containing substantial material on the period of 309 to 531 AC, from Shapur II to Kawad I / the second government. Author: Nikolaus Schindel
The complete series of Sylloge Nummorum Sasanidarum is edited by Michael Alram and Rika Gyselen. Volumes are published at the Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ISBN 3-7001-3224-7 and 3-7001-3314-6).
