Histiaea

Histiaea. The first coins which can be with certainty attributed to Histiaea belong to the half-century before Alexander. It’s interesting to note that the vines which had obtained for the town, as early as Homer’s days, the epithet πολυσταφυλος occupy an important place on the coins. (R. Weil, Z. f. N., i. 183.)

Histiaia, named after its patron nymph, commanded a strategic position overlooking the narrows leading to the North Euboian Gulf. In the Illiad, Homer describes the surrounding plain as “rich in vines.” In 480 B.C. the city was overrun by the Persians. After the Persian Wars it became a member of the Delian Confederacy. In 446 the Euboians revolted, seized an Athenian ship and murdered its crew. They were promptly reduced by Athens. Perikles exiled the population to Macedonia and replaced them with Athenians. The exiled population probably returned at the end of the Peloponnesian War in 404; thereafter they seem to have been largely under the control of Sparta until they joined the Second Athenian Confederacy in 376-375. The city appears to have become a member (for the first time) of the reconstituted league of Euboian cities in 340, but its allegiance during most of the 4th century seems to have vacillated between Athens and Macedonia. It was pro-Macedonian during the 3rd century, for which it was attacked in 208 and captured in 199 by a Roman-Pergamene force. The Roman garrison was removed in 194. To judge from the wide distribution of its coinage Histiaia continued to prosper. Little is known of its later history, but finds at the site indicate it continued to be inhabited in Roman, Byzantine, and later times.

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Circ. B.C. 369-336.

Head of Maenad, wearing vine-wreath.
[B. M. C., Cent. Gr., Pl. XXIV. 1.] ΙΣΤΙ Bull, standing before a vine with grapes; symbol or monogram in field.
AR Dr.

Id. [Ibid., Pl. XXIV. 3-5.] ΙΣΤΙ Bull, forepart of bull, or bull's head and neck; various symbols above.
Ć .6

Circ. B.C. 313-265.

The next issue of Histiaean coins probably took place after the Euboean towns declared themselves independent in B.C. 313, but it does not seem to have been of long duration.

Head of Maenad, with vine-wreath; her hair in sphendone. [Zeit. f. Num., i. p. 186; Photiades Cat., 484.] ΙΣΤΙΑΙΕΩΝ Nymph Histiaea with her name ΙΣΤΙΑΙΑ, seated on stern of galley and holding a trophy-stand or mast with yard (?)
AR Octobol 89 grs.

Id. [B. M. C., Cent. Gr., Pl. XXIV. 6.] Id., without name of nymph.
AR Tetrob. 42 grs.

Id. [Hunter Cat., Pl. XXXIII. 14.] ΙΣΤΙ Bull standing; behind, vine.
Ć .75

Id. [Ibid., Pl. XXIV. 8.] „ Bull’s head and neck.
Ć .65

Head of Dionysos, facing. „ Vine-branch.
Ć .55

Circ. B.C. 197-146, and later (?).

The silver coins of this time are remarkably abundant, and consist of tetrobols similar in type to those of the previous century, but very carelessly executed and varying in weight from 39 to 28 grs. The head of the Maenad is almost identical with that on contemporaneous tetrobols of Macedonia, struck between B.C. 185 and 168 during the reigns of Philip V and Perseus. In the Inventory of Demares, compiled B.C. 185-180 (Bull. Corr. Hell., 1882, p. 35), these coins are called Ιστιαικα and αργυριον Ιστιαικον. For varieties see B. M. C., Cent. Gr., Pl. XXIV. The commonest bronze coins of this period are the following :—

Head of Maenad. ΙΣΤΙ Head and neck of bull, horns filleted.
Ć .55

Similar. [B. M. C., Cent. Gr., Pl. XXIV. 15, 16.] ΙΣΤΙΑΙΕΩΝ Grapes.
Ć .65

Head of Apollo (?). „ Tripod.
Ć .45