Local Scripts on Archaic Coins

This chapter provides a survey of the legends that appear on coins throughout the Mediterranean world before c.480 BC. It analyses them by purpose, geographical origin, and type, and compares their distribution to the overall patterns of production and circulation during the same period. It concludes (1) that after an early period of use for personal names, the overwhelming nature of the coin legend by the end of the Archaic period is to identify communities; and (2) that the Western Greek world of Italy and Sicily has a propensity for the use of such communal identifiers, and abbreviations thereof, somewhat greater than is found elsewhere in the Greek world. An appendix summarizes those coin legends discussed in Jeffery's Local Scripts and gathers legends not discussed. As far as possible all legends are illustrated.