A hoard of byzantine gold coins from Samos

Abstract

Summary. — A hoard comprising 300 gold Byzantine coins and two pairs of gold earrings was found on the Greek island of Samos. The series begins with coins of Maurice and ends with two coins of Heraclius bearing the controversial marks IX and III. It is connected with the threat to the Aegean area in the early 7th century. On the basis of other finds in the area, eastern sources (especially Thomas of Emesa) and circumstantial evidence from Moyses Dasxurançi, the present article tends to adopt the view of Clive Foss about the sweeping character of the Persian invasions and their arrival as far west as the Aegean littoral. The date 623 A.D. is considered as the likeliest for the burial of the Samos hoard. Further there are pointed out certain hints in the eastern sources in favour of the hypothesis that some kind of a forerunner of the themes might have already started to take shape in the time of Heraclius (compare I. Shahid, Heraclius and the Theme System, Byzantion, LVII, 1987).