has explained the coincidence of these two events in terms of a polariza-
tion of interests. Ptolemy II was continuing a policy that allowed him a
degree of power in the Straits and beyond, into the Black Sea. His support
of Byzantion was a conscious component of this policy. Antiochos II, on
the other hand, chose to court the cities of Apollonia, Kallatis, Istros, and
probably Mesambria, perhaps using some of these as bases for operations
inland, particularly for assaults on Kabyle (whose coinage was subse-
quently overstruck in his name), and perhaps Seuthopolis. A number of
honorific inscriptions indicate cordial relations between Apollonia, Kal-
latis, and Istros at this time, while the distribution of coins in the name of
Kavaros (the Celtic leader whose notoriety rests mainly on his threats to
Byzantion), suggests that he operated from a base in the hinterland of
Odessos, perhaps at the fortress of Arkovna.^27 Although, as we shall see,
Kavaros appears in Polybius’account of the history of Byzantion as an
aggressive threat to the city’s interests, the circulation of his bronze
issues, clearly intended for minor transactions,fits rather smoothly into
the pattern of regional commercial relations, alongside the bronze coins
minted by the city of Mesambria. A very similar pattern of connections
emerged in the late second andfirst half of thefirst centurybc,whenregal
issues minted by one Mostis were succeeded by those of the‘Sapaian’
dynasty, based at Bizye. The most prominent of these were large
issues of Rhoimetalces I, sponsored by the Emperor Augustus, and his
successors in the region, Rhoimetalces II and III.^28 Such events highlight
the changing form and nature of economic relations in the region, with
an increasing focus on the Pontic seaboard and the Straits. Contrary to
the impression of immense tension portrayed in the narrative sources,
the coins issued by various authorities within the region, by civic magis-
trates, by local rulers, and by incoming powers such as Antiochos II,
(^27) Lazarov 2010, 99–105 with further bibl.
(^28) Karayotov 1994, a key survey of numismatic evidence from the environs of Mesam-
bria, beginning with a hoard of Cyzicene electrum and a Persian gold stater among the
earliest coins, continuing with the Kocharitza hoard of 101 Macedonian bronze issues (89 of
Philip II, 10 of Alexander III, 2 Mesambrian helmeten face/wheel with 4 rays, META +
head of Melsas and/or shield); bronze of Philip II and Alexander III from Bilka, Rouen and
Goritza; Sredna Mahala: a hoard of Apollonia tetrobols and others from Rouen, Bilka, and
elsewhere; third-centurybchoards of Athena Alkis types of Mesambria; Aitos: second-
century hoard of third-centurybcMesambrian tetradrachms; second century: Sadievo (42
tetradrachms of Byzantion [Lysimachos] + 3 Thasian‘new style’as well as one of Kavaros);
Aitos, Rudnik, and Burgas hoards of Mesambrian tetradrachms and those of Odessos and
Byzantion. He notes the rarity of Adaios issues and Odessitan bronze. From the end of the
second centurybc, there is a hoard of Byzantine and Thasian coins from Debelt (286).
Karayotov 2002, 431–7 on second- andfirst-centurybcregal issues of Mostis and the
Sapaian dynasty.
Regionalism and regional economies 205