Coins of King Pyrrhus of Epirus

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 12, 190 - 214

Işık Albasan

Abstract

Epirus is an ancient region whose territory is sharerd partly between Greece and partly between Albania. Founded by Greek colonists, Epirus becomes most prominent and famous throught history during the reign of King Pyrrhus, son of King Aekides of Epirus. Within the scope of the study, the role and importance of King Pyrrhus, who fights against Rome and Carhtage and achieves success in both Southern Italy and Sicily, in the history of Epirus, the changes in coin minting during his period and the coin types are discussed. In the study, firstly the geographical location of Epirus, its general history, the life of King Pyrrhus, and its place in the history of Epirus, especially in the history of war, are examined. Then, during the reign of King Pyrrhus, it is observed that the minting of coins increases and their diversity increase. In this context, the coins minted during the Pyrrhus period are evaluated according to their minting place, type and iconography.

Keywords

Epirus, Coin, Pyrrhus.

Epirus Kralı Pyrrhus’un sikkeleri

Abstract

Epirus, topraklarının bir kısmı Yunanistan bir kısmı da Arnavutluk arasında paylaşılan antik bir bölgedir. Yunan kolonistler tarafından kurulan Epirus’un tarih boyunca en fazla öne çıktığı ve adının duyulduğu süreç Epirus Kralı Aekides’in oğlu Kral Pyrrhus’un saltanatanın dönemidir. Çalışma kapsamında Roma ve Kartaca’ya karşı savaşan ve gerek Güney İtalya’da gerekse Sicilya’da başarılara imza atan Kral Pyrrus’un Epirus tarihi içinde oynadığı rol ve önemi, onun döneminde sikke basımında meydana gelen değişiklikler ve sikke tipleri ele alınmıştır. Çalışmada öncelikle Epirus’un coğrafi konumu, genel tarihi ve Kral Pyrrhus’un hayatı, Epirus tarihi özellikle de savaş tarihi içindeki yeri incelenmiştir. Ardından Kral Pyrrhus’un saltanatı süresince sikke basımının arttığı, çeşitliliğinin arttığı gözlenmiştir. Bu bağlamda Pyrrhus döneminde basılan sikkeler basım yerlerine ve tiplerine, ikonografilerine göre değerlendirilmiştir.

Keywords

Epirus, Sikke, Pyrrhus.

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