Speakers
Description
This paper discusses how digital numismatics facilitates new research into ancient Antioch in Syria. My monograph, Antioch in Syria: A History from Coins (300 BCE-450 CE) (Cambridge University Press, 2021), critically reassesses the capital city by applying the techniques of Exploratory Data Analysis and digital mapping to a database of 300,000 coin finds. Although Antioch’s prominence is famous, a quantitative analysis of coins minted in the city and excavated throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East exposes the gradations of imperial power and local agency mediated within its walls. As imperial governments capitalized upon Antioch's location and amenities, the citizens developed their own distinct identities and agency – both financial and political. This research serves as the foundation for the collaborative online exhibit, SYRIOS: Studying Urban Relationships and Identity over Ancient Syria, which teaches public audiences about how digital humanities methodologies enhance the value of coins as historical evidence.
