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130 ANCIENT GREECE. [CHAP. x .of Argos in the year 631 (i. e. 895 years B. C.) first beganto coin silver in the island of JEgina.But although we cannot at present trace the history ofcoined money in Greece any further, 1 we may from thepreceding observations infer one general conclusion; thefounding of colonies and the intercourse kept tip withthem, caused coined money to be introduced and extensively used in Greece. Beforetheir foundation,, the Greeksknew nothing of coined money. When money was firstcoined in .ZEgina,the colonies of Asia Minor and of MagnaGraecia 2 were already established and flourishing ;and weare expressly informed, that money was coined in that island, in order to carry on commerce beyond the sea. 3 Itcannot be proved with certainty, that money was coined inthe Asiatic colonies sooner than in the mother country.But when we call to mind the well-known relation of Herodotus, 4 that the Lydians were the inventors of money coinedof gold and silver, (a thing in itself not improbable, as it isknown that Lydia abounded in gold, 5 )and that the mostflourishing Grecian colonies were situated on the Lydiancoasts, we cannot but find ithighly probable, that theGreeks received the art of coining, like somany other inventions, from Asia ;and here too the remark is valid, thatin their hands every thing received a new form and a newbeauty. For no nation has ever yet had coins, of which thestamp equalled in beauty those of the Grecian, and especially of the Sicilian cities.The right of minting gold was regarded in Greece as theprivilege of the state, which superintendedit. Hence arosethat variety and multitude of * city coins, which are easilydistinguished, by their peculiar stamps. Coins were alsostruck by several of the tribes, the Thessalians, the Boeotians,and others, as they formed by their alliances one politicalbody.Though the Grecian coins were of both precious and base1Compare "Wachteri Archasologia Nummaria, Lips. 1740: and the introductory inquiries in Ekhel. D. N. V.2As e. g, Cumae.*Strabo viiL p. 577- He refers to Ephorus.4 Herod, i. 94Nor is there any other nation which disputes this honour with the Lydians.For the Egyptians, e. g., are named without any reason. See Wachter,L c. cap. IT.