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Description
In Pamphylia the production of coins started in the Achaemenid period when Aspendos and Side began with minting silver coins on the Persic standard. The exact chronology of the earliest coins of the two cities has not yet been exactly determined. The dating confined to the beginning and the middle of the 5th c. are under discussion. Although Side and Aspendos were neighbours, and their mintages fell back on Greek artistic traditions, their coins reflect the different cultural influence of Pamphylia. Whereas in the 4th century Sillyon started a limited production of some smaller coins, the silver coins of Side and Aspendos reached considerable quantities and a wide distribution both in the Eastern Mediterranean and beyond. These coins reflect a considerable involvement in long-distance trade, made possible by the Achaemenid Peace and an imperial administration that gave the cities plenty of freedom.
