enough to allow for such media. Historical anecdotes, such as those
about the emergency copper alloy issues of Timotheos at Olynthos in
362 bcand the emergency bronze issues of Perdikkas III of Macedon,
show that such innovations, aimed at enhancing liquidity for immediate
transactions, were accepted.^22 In these cases the proximate reason for
minting a different alloy was the temporary lack of sufficient silver. These
coin types operated in a restricted area, consistent with the notion that
they were produced in specific circumstances and that there were limits
to their acceptability, particularly in terms of exchanges beyond the
immediate circle of networks that were reinforced in other ways.
THASOS AND ITSPERAIA
The dominance of Thasian wine imports in the whole east Balkan—
north Aegean region throughout the fourth and for much of the third
centurybcwas a prevailing theme of Chapter 5, while the Thasian silver
coins of the late second and earlyfirst centurybcdominated the region
in the period when Mithridates VI of Pontus was at large.^23 These
material symbols of the island’s contemporary economic vibrancy (or,
in the case of the late silver issues, former economic robustness), have
often been interpreted as a logical extension of the well-known state-
ments made by Herodotus (6.46–47) and Thucydides (1.100.2, 101.3)
about the economic ambitions of Thasos on the mainland opposite.^24
The challenge has been to understand exactly what these authors meant
by the island’s power on the mainland. In what sense did the Thasians
have power outside their island territory? What were theemporiaof the
Thasians?^25 Should these be understood literally, as physical spaces, or
(^22) Psoma 2000, commenting on Polyaen 3.10.14 (Timotheos in alliance with Perdikkas
of Macedon); cf. 4.10.2 (emergency bronze coin of Perdikkas); [Ar.]Oec. II.24 (Timotheos’
emergency coinage); cf. Polyaen. 3.10.1 (Timotheos’emergency copper issues in Attica);
Psoma 2000, 134 on the poor quality of Pausanias’, near-contemporary, regal issues; for the
coincidence of regal Macedonian and local civic issues in the latefifth/early fourth century
bc, see also Pavlovska 2006 (part hoard from the environs of Negotino, containing tetrobols
of Perdikkas II, the Chalkidian League, and Akanthos).
(^23) Prokopov 2000.
(^24) Grandjean and Salviat 2000, 14, 24–31, 177–92 (territory, outreach and economic
activities of Thasos); Isaac 1986, 285; Archibald 1998, 25, 32, 55, 74, 77, 88, 114–17, 127–39,
217 – 18, 225–6 (Thasian relations with Thrace); Picard 1994, 1997, 2006; Brunet 1997, 2000;
Pébarthe 1999. 25
Hdt. 6.46.2: äb ðæüóïäüò óçØ Kªßíåôï Œ ôå ôBò Mðåßæïı ŒÆd Iðe ôHí ìåôܺºøí
‘[the island’s] revenues came from the mainland and also from themetalla’; Thuc. 1.100.2:
258 The lure of the northern Aegean