November 7th
2011
Next club meeting Monday 5th December 2011
- Winter Bourse and Members Evening
Meetings are held at
the Abbey Baptist Church,
Abbey Square,
commencing at 7.00 p.m.
NOTICES
- January is our short talks evening. Please let
the committee know at or before the December meeting if you would like to
present a talk.
- February is the annual auction…
please have a think about any lots that you might like to put
forward, and let the committee know. Lots will need to be submitted at the
January meeting at the latest.
- If you have any ideas for future speakers, please
contact the committee and we will be happy to consider any suggestions!
November Meeting
Novembers talk was given by Tim Everson on the subject
of the Numismatic History of Cyprus. Tim began by explaining that Cyprus is the third largest island in the
Mediterranean Sea, and sits in the Eastern end – further east than Cairo and Luxor.
The early population of Cyprus
was Hittite, until approximately 1400BC when a wave of Greek traders began
settling. In 1100BC, a larger wave of Greeks descended on the island at which
point the Greek culture quickly took over. From approx. 800BC, there were also
several Phoenician colonies found on the south coast of the island.
In 709BC Cyprus
was conquered by Assyria, who ruled the island
through local City Kings. The island was held right up until the collapse of Assyria in 612BC at which point it fell into Egyptian
hands for about 60 years before the Persians conquered in 545BC. In 390BC King Evagoras of Salamis rebels
against Persia and virtually
unifies the island but, after a great siege has to conclude peace with Persia and
loses control of the whole island. Our first coin was an Obol
struck under Rhoecas in the city of Amathus in
approximately 350BC and shows a rampant lion.
In 333BC Cyprus was conquered by Alexander
the Great. Like the Persians, he chose to rule through local City Kings. All
coins were to show the head of Alexander, however King
Nicocles of Paphos
cunningly struck a coin with his own name disguised in Alexander’s hair! After
Alexander’s death, the Ptolemies of Egypt take Cyprus and rule
as Overlords having removed the City Kings. Coins of this period had the
ruler’s head on the obverse and the Ptolemaic eagle on the reverse.
Cyprus is annexed by Rome in
58BC, and becomes a full member of the Empire on the fall of Egypt at the
Battle of Actium in 30BC. As expected, the island began producing and using
standard Roman coinage. An example of these is the silver coins of Vespasian
stuck from approx. 70-80AD with his head on the obverse and the image of Zeus on
the reverse. The final Roman/Cypriot issue was under Caracalla in approx.
215AD, which shows the Ptolemaic eagle on the reverse.
The island remains under Roman (and subsequently
Byzantine) rule until 648 AD when the Arabs sack the island – attacks which
continue periodically for almost 300 years. Cities are destroyed and vast
wealth is carried away by the piratical raids. The Byzantines secure their rule
of Cyprus
in 965.
This lasted until 1184 when Isaac Komnenos
created the independent patriarch of Cyprus, and was crowned Emperor. Unfortunately,
a few years later in 1191, Isaac made a drastic error of judgement by
kidnapping the fiancée and sister of Richard I of England who had been shipwrecked on
the island. Clearly, this was not popular with the Lionheart,
and he subsequently invades and conquers – in less than two weeks! On Richard’s
return to England after the
3rd Crusade, he sells Cyprus to the Knights Templar who
in turn sell it to Guy of Lusignan,
the disposed King of Jerusalem.
Guy’s line rules for almost 300 years in which time
silver coinage with a rampant lion and a Templar cross design were struck.
Initially, these were Deniers (similar to English pennies) and these were
joined by Gros and half-gros
(4d and 2d respectively). In 1473, James II died leaving the crown of Cyprus to pass
to his unborn son, who dies after only a year of life. This left the crown with
Catherine Cornaro, the wife of James II. She ruled as
a figurehead for 15 years whilst the Republic
of Venice slowly assumed
control. The island was formally annexed in 1489. The Venetians lasted almost
80years before an Ottoman army of 60,000 men took control of the island forming
the Eyalet of Cyprus. Silver Akces
and cooper Paras were struck during the Ottoman rule
which lasted until 1878 and survived a series of revolts by both Greek- and
Turkish-Cypriots.
In 1878, Cyprus
was leased as a protectorate to the British Empire
in the aftermath of the Russo-Turkish War. This pleased the British, as it gave
them a strategic foothold near the head of the newly opened Suez
Canal. The circulating copper was recalled due to its poor quality
and replaced with piastre and half-piastre coins – these emulated the penny and halfpenny. In
1901, the silver coinage was recalled and restruck,
with nine piastres to the shilling. At the outbreak
of World War I Cyprus was
annexed by Britain,
and post-war the Crown Colony of Cyprus was proclaimed in 1925. This was not
popular, as Greek-Cypriots were calling for a union with Greece. This
was declined and World War II saw many Cypriots join the British Forces,
however after the war discontent quickly spread, and
the prospect of a union with Greece
looked ever more attractive. During the 1950’s and ‘60’s, violence escalated
and rioting and terrorist acts became commonplace. This was further complicated
by the Turk-Cypriots calling for the partition of Greek and Turkish Cyprus.
Finally, in 1960 Cyprus
gained independence from Britain,
however the terms of this agreement forbade both union with Greece and the
partition of the two parts. This lead to the creation of the
Cypriot Pound, which circulated until the adoption of the Euro in 2008.
This
conclude the talk which was enjoyed by 22 members.
Future Events
- The Matthew Rich
Collection of Celtic Coins – Dix Noonan Webb – 7th December
- Midland Coin Fair, Birmingham – 11th
December
Past Events
- 1 years ago – “A Rose in
the Ear – Coinage of Shakespeare” – Gerry Buddle
·
40 years ago – Members
Evening
Club
Secretary