Persian gold coins discovered in Turkish city Ancient treasure unveiled

Experts have uncovered a rare treasure trove of Persian gold coins in the ancient city of Notion, Türkiye, this discovery, made during the excavation of a third-century BC home, offers an extraordinary glimpse into a tumultuous period of history marked by shifting empires and mercenary warfare.

Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the ancient city of Notion in Türkiye, uncovering a rare hoard of Persian gold coins, Caliber.Az reports citing the foreign media.

Believed to belong to a wealthy mercenary soldier, this exceptional find provides a rare glimpse into the tumultuous world of 2,400 years ago.

The treasure was unearthed in the courtyard of a third-century BC house during an excavation, according to The New York Times. This pot of gold offers unprecedented insights into the era's political and economic landscape, revealing the opulence and strategic importance of mercenaries in ancient times.

“The coins were buried in a corner of an older building,” said Christopher Ratté, an archaeologist and professor of classical studies at the University of Michigan, who also serves as the curator of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology and director of the Notion Archaeological Project. “We weren’t actually searching for a pot of gold.”

Andrew Meadows, an Oxford University archaeologist who was not involved in the excavation, underscored the significance of the find, calling it “of the highest importance.” He noted that no similar hoard has been discovered in Asia Minor before, adding, “The archaeological context of this hoard will significantly enhance our understanding of Achaemenid gold coinage chronology.”

The treasure, featuring darics—Persian gold coins depicting a king kneeling with a bow and spear—was likely used to pay mercenaries. This suggests the cache may have belonged to a soldier who buried his wealth for safekeeping amidst the political upheaval of the era.

"According to Greek historian Xenophon, a single daric was worth a soldier's pay for a month," Ratté noted, as reported by Live Science. The significant amount of wealth found in the jug suggests that the mercenary had been involved in many battles in a region that frequently changed hands between Persian and Greek control.

The fact that the treasure was never recovered raises intriguing questions about the fate of its owner. “The preservation of such a cache likely points to severe misfortune,” Ratté commented. He also speculated, as reported by the Greek City Times, that the mercenary buried the treasure between 430 and 427 BC.

The coins offer a glimpse into a turbulent period. The Achaemenid Persian Empire had conquered the region by force in 545 BC. By 427 BC, Greek historian Thucydides recorded the actions of Athenian general Paches, who executed pro-Persian mercenaries in Notion, according to The New York Times.

Two decades later, a significant naval battle between Athens and Sparta unfolded off the coast, with Athens maintaining a naval base in Notion during this era of conflict between pro-Persian mercenaries and Athenian forces, eventually leading to their expulsion.

Ratté suggested that the treasure might represent “the savings of a veteran mercenary soldier from a time when such soldiers could earn substantial sums by risking their lives for the highest bidder.” He speculated that the cache likely represents the final stages of the soldier’s life.

“No one buries a hoard of precious metal coins without intending to retrieve it,” Ratté said, as reported by The University Record. He also noted that the owner could have been Greek, given that many Greeks served as mercenaries for the Persian Empire.