234 Baker
have clarified their physical properties and particular geographical spread. It is
clear that these were not pennies of the western kind, since they were rather too
large and heavy, made of copper or very low-grade billon, and probably slightly
concave. This would identify them as trachea, a common Epirote denomina-
tion in the mid-13th century, minted not least by Manfred of Hohenstaufen’s
father-in-law, Michael ii, whose coinage has just been discussed. As the evi-
dence stands, these coins, which are nevertheless close in style to the contem-
porary Apulian issues of Manfred, who would have held the title of Lord of
Romania from about 1258/59, were either minted at Brindisi for export to the
Balkans, or at Corfu or Valona with Italian dies. Their date of minting seems to
have been in the first months of 1259, and these coins moved along the major
operational routes before and after the battle of Pelagonia in Macedonia in
July of that year, in Epirus, Albania, and Macedonia.
By far the most important chapter in the history of medieval Greek mint-
ing is reserved for the denier tournois issues. Their importance, in terms of
the general monetary context, will be analysed in greater detail below, and we
will limit ourselves to listing and summarizing the basic emissions. Achaea
minted in the name of its princes from William ii Villehardouin to Robert of
Taranto at Glarenza, during the period c.1267–1350. A complex typology, largely
the work of Tzamalis, is now in place, and for many periods of Achaean mint-
ing issues can be dated to a year or two. The issues of the duchy of Athens,
which identify on their obverses the issuers in basic terms as G.dvx and gvi.
dvx, also enjoy a detailed typology and dating structure. The overall chronol-
ogy of the minting of Athenian tournois at the Thebes mint is c.1285 to 1311.
The mother of Duke Guy ii de la Roche minted tournois in small quantities
at the Peloponnesian Karytaina, of which she held half a barony. This issue
is dated 1291 or just thereafter. Philip of Taranto, the son of King Charles ii of
Anjou, minted under the title of Lord of Corfu at the island sometime during
the period 1294–96/98. An equally small issue was emitted at the mainland
barony of Salona by Thomas iii of Autrementcourt, at one point during 1294–
- The same Philip of Taranto, now despot of Romania (and later prince of
Achaea), launched a coinage at Naupactus. The two issues of this mint are dat-
able c.1301–late 1304 (Metcalf ’s dr1–2a), and to c.1306 (Metcalf ’s dr2b), when
the mint closed. Neopatras in Phthiotis was also responsible for a consider-
able coinage, which has been classified and dated in great detail by Baker and
Galani-Krikou. John ii Angelos Doukas began this operation in 1303 under
Athenian guidance, but broke with Athens in 1308/09, and produced a very dif-
ferent tournois issue—in terms of titulature and execution—in Byzantine alli-
ance during 1309–11. Tenos is another mint which probably closed in 1311, upon
the death of the issuer George i Ghisi. The minting of tournois on the island