By: Kyle Xu

The ancient city of Notion sits in western Anatolia, which divides Asia from Europe. The city-state has a long history. From decisive battles of the Peloponnesian War fought near its coast to Athenian evacuations and sea bases, one thing is for sure: the city of Notion boasts many secrets, all hidden along its now-buried ruins.

When Christopher Ratté and his team were digging around in the ruins of Notion in modern-day Turkey, they uncovered a pot of gold coins in the courtyard of a house. This “pot of gold” was an eye-opening discovery that told us more about the civilizations of the ancient times. In fact, these gold coins might’ve been even older than the house, which dated to the third century B.C.

“No one ever buries a hoard of coins, especially precious metal coins, without intending to retrieve it,” says Dr. Ratté, clearly implying that the coin-burying-person’s life was taken against his will, preventing him from retrieving his pot of gold.
Archaeologist Andrew Meadows of the University of Oxford believes that the coins were Darics, coins used as payment to soldiers. “The archaeological context for the hoard will help us fine-tune the chronology of Achaemenid gold coinage,” said Meadows, talking about the discovery of the hoard.

Notion was one of the first Greek-speaking cities in the region, which is believed to be a result of migration across the Aegean Sea. The city has many ties with the ancient Greek and Persian empires.

In 546 BC, the Persian Empire conquered the city that was then known as Ionia. In 427 BC, Athenian general Paches defeated a troop of Persian mercenaries at Notion. One score later, it was used as a naval base for the Athenians.

The Lydian empire minted the first true gold coin, called a Croeseid, named after King Alyattes’s son, Croesus. The empire used the gold coins to pay soldiers and mercenaries.

Although the history of the coins may not be tied to those significant events, it still holds a shroud of mystery.