Coins from Alexander the Great found in Syria
 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100304/...UwYWxleGFuZGVy

DAMASCUS, Syria � More than 250 silver coins dating back to the time of Alexander the Great were unearthed in northern Syria, a Syrian archaeologist said Thursday.

Youssef Kanjo, the head of archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Aleppo, said the coins were discovered two weeks ago in northern Syria when a local man was digging the foundations of his new home.

The man handed the coins, that were found in a bonze box, to authorities, Kanjo said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

The coins date from the Hellenic period, which ranges from 4th to the 1st centuries B.C. after Macedonian warrior-king Alexander the Great spread Greek culture into Middle East and beyond with his conquests.

Kanjo added that the box contained two groups of coins, 137 "tetra" drachmas (four drachmas) and 115 single drachma coins.

One side of the tetra drachma coins depicts Alexander the Great, while the other side shows the Greek god Zeus sitting on a throne with an eagle perched on his extended arm.

Some of the coins bear the inscription King Alexander in Greek, while others say Alexander or carry the name of King Philip, most likely referring to his father.

After Alexander the Great's conquests, many of the successor kingdoms in the Middle East adopted drachmas as their currency.

"The discovery is extremely important and would be added to our archaeological treasures that date back to the Hellenic era," Kanjo said.

Re: Coins from Alexander the Great found in Syria
 

Some old stash for SHTF scenario?

Alexander the Great came down with a lethal disease/condition while in India, the top docs of the time could do nothing for him and told him he was toast. He instructed his aides that when he died, he was to have his arms outstretched, bared, and with his palms up for his funeral procession... to show all that even though he was the conqueror of the known world, he was leaving empty handed. :fan:

Re: Coins from Alexander the Great found in Syria
 

Nice coins!!! How I'd love to find something like that with my metal detector.

Re: Coins from Alexander the Great found in Syria
 

Good thing Britain isn't the only country "encouraging" their population to turn in anything of real value :sarcasm:. Ugh it seems like we hear stories like this all of the time. Let's just hope that for every hoard that's turned in another 100 were quietly reburied somewhere else ;).

Re: Coins from Alexander the Great found in Syria
 

I love old coin finds like this. I wish I could feel more "comfortable" about buying a few.

Re: Coins from Alexander the Great found in Syria
 

Gee, no bills? What were they thinking back then? All that worthless metal buried.