Syria Today | Coins from Alexander the Great period unearthed in Aleppo governorate

Coins from Alexander the Great period unearthed in Aleppo governorate

Some 250 silver coins dating back to the time of Alexander the Great have been unearthed in the governorate of Aleppo, local archaeologists announced on March 4.

The coins, which reach as far back as the Hellenic Age (300 BC to 500 BC), were found by a local man who was digging the foundations for his new home, Youssef Kanjo, head of excavations at Aleppo Department of Archaeology and Museums, told the AP news agency on March 4.

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

The ancient Greek coins were discovered near Najm Castle in the Manbej area of Aleppo governorate. The man found the coins in a bronze box which he handed over to local authorities, Kanjo said.

The box contained 137 tetra drachmas (equal to four drachmas) and 115 single drachma coins. Alexander the Great is depicted on the coins, as well as the Greek god Zeus, sitting on a throne with an eagle perched on his arm. Some of the coins have King Alexander inscribed in Greek on them, while others bear the inscription King Philip, most likely referring to Alexander the Great’s father King Philip II of Macedon, archaeologists told AP.

Following Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Persian Empire in 332 BC and the consequent export of Greek culture to the region, many Hellenistic kingdoms in the Levant adopted the drachma as their currency.

Meanwhile, the Damascus Countryside Archaeology Department discovered five ancient tombs dating back to 3 AD and 4 AD in Daraya in the Damascus countryside, the private website Syria News reported on March 9.

Director of the Damascus Countryside Archaeology Department Mahmoud Hammoud said the entrances to the tombs were closed with stone panels.

“The discovery happened while a local was digging in the ground to build an apartment,” Hammoud said. “The tombs had been in use for about 100 years. Some of them contain dozens of children’s and adult’s skeletons. It is unlikely that they belong to one family.”

Glassware, pottery and jewellery were also found inside the tombs.