THE COIN COLLECTOR - World eBook Library

THE COLLECTOR SERIES
The islands of the JEgaean Sea (Cyclades and Spo-
rades), which, down to the second century b.c, consti-
tuted part of the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, offer
many points of numismatic interest and instruction;
they are Amorgos, Andros, Ios, Delos, Svros, Tenos,
Ceos, Naxos, Paros, Siphnos, Melos, &c. Our know-
ledge of the oldest remains is due to two finds at Thera
(1821) and Melos, the former composed of nearly 800
coins, including some not of Cretan origin ; but these
do not go very far to assist us in forming a complete
view of the evidently enormous volume of money in
silver and bronze which emanated from this group down
to Roman imperial days. The earliest of which Ave
possess any exact knowledge belong to Paros, Naxos,
Melos, and Ceos. The religious cults were manifold,
and included those of Dionysos and Zeus, with whom
we find at Ceos coupled a pastoral deity named Aristaeos,
supposed to have been capable of protecting the herdsman
in summer from the rays of the sun. At Amorgos
there are evidences of the worship of Asklepios, and at
Anaphe of A- polio. There are numismatic proofs of
occasional or partial federalism.
ASIA
Bospoeos. — The two chief points of numismatic
interest on the Asiatic side of the Cimmerian Bos-
poros are Gerpippia and Phanagoria, of both of which
there are limited and unimportant currencies in silver
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