96 SELENE E. PSOMA
Aegina may have produced perfumes and pottery for everyday use, as in
modern times, but nothing else.^75 The adoption of the Aeginetan standard may
be explained by what Ephorus says about the sea trade of Aegina.^76 Aristotle
reports that the Aeginetans were mainly traders (Pol. 1291b24). Aeginetans
were involved in slave trade, as is revealed in the explanation offered for the
expression ‘cargo from Aegina’ (Steph. Byz. s. v. Αἴγιναι).^77
Aegina’s silver coinage served as a commodity to buy local products in one
area and sell them in another.^78 The Aeginetans transported all sorts of com-
modities.^79 After the battle of Plataea, one could find in the port of Aegina
ships leaving for many different destinations.^80 Aeginetan ships brought prod-
ucts to the port of Cyllene in Elis and then transported these with mules to
Arcadia (Paus. 8.5.8).^81 The earliest hoards buried in Arcadia and Elis contained
only Aeginetan currency (IGCH 15, 20). Both Pollux (9.74) and Hesychius
(s. v. χελώνη) refer to the turtle as Peloponnesion nomisma.^82 Large numbers of
Aeginetan turtles are also found in hoards of Thessaly, an area well known
for its rich agricultural production and wealth.^83 The earliest silver coinage of
Crete was pseudo-Aeginetan and was issued by Aegina’s colony, Cydonia.^84
Aegina is heavily represented with its staters in the earliest hoard of Archaic
date from Crete (IGCH 1), and also in early hoards buried on the Cycladic
islands (IGCH 6, 7, 8). These hoards also contained silver coins from Cycladic
mints and also silver on the Aeginetan standard from South West Asia Minor.^85
This has been viewed as an indication of a well-organized trade route link-
ing these islands to South-West Asia Minor. Aeginetan merchants could have
transported marble from Paros and other islands to this area.^86
Remaining in South-West Asia Minor, one recalls that Cnidos, Chersonnesus
and Cos as well as Camiros of Rhodes also adopted the Aeginetan standard.^87
Hoards contain staters of Aegina that reached these areas and traveled far to the
East, as the Apadana (Persepolis) foundation deposit, dated ca. 514–511 BCE
reveals (IGCH 1789).^88 There is good evidence for trade between Aegina and
Southern Asia Minor: after the battle of Plataea a noble lady from Cos who
was freed by Pausanias of Sparta had no trouble finding a ship at Aegina to
bring her back home (Hdt. 9.76). Cnidos, Cos and the island of Rhodes pro-
duced many different commodities that could be transported by Aeginetans.^89
The impact of Aeginetan currency in South-Western Asia Minor is appar-
ent in a series of staters depicting a sea turtle on the obverse and two distinct
incuse squares on the reverse.^90 There were significant links between Camiros
and Chersonnesus as the decree of Camiros (Syll.^3 339) referring to ktoinai of
the Camireis both on the island and the mainland shows.^91 A number of coin-
ages issued by Astyra, Halicarnassos, Caunos and some other cities in Caria also
reveal the influence of the Aeginetan standard.^92 Halicarnassus could export
wine while Mylasa could export different agricultural products, marble and
hemp (kannabe).^93 Teos in Ionia switched from the Milesian to the Aeginetan