Enez, founded in the mouth of Meriç River (ancient Hebros) on the North Aegean coast had a very important role in Ancient times as a safe harbour and military significance as a great harbour city on the Europe-Asia coastal route extended in the east-west direction.
Enez was settled in very early times because it was the only safe harbour in Ancient times on the Northern Aegean coast extended from Taşoz Strait (ancient Thasos) up to Dardanelles, as well as, it had a fertile hinterland due to Ergene Basin.
As a matter of fact, the name of Enez (Ainos) is seen in Homeros’ Illiad but the records in the books of ancient writers like Strabo and Stephanos Byzantinos date back to the settlement of earlier times. On the other hand, according to Herodotus’, Thukydides’ and Skylax’ records, Enez had close cultural and political relations with the Aegean world and Athens.
In the Middle Age, during the Byzantian period Enez was the center of a princedom encompassing İmroz Island (ancient Imbroz) and Semadirek (ancient Samothrake).
Especially the coins, plastic works of art and ceramic findings of the 5th century B.C. evince the high level that Enez reached in the Ancient Age. It is clear that Enez retained this cultural level throughout all the Ancient Age and did not let it decline also in the Middle Age.
As a matter of fact, the archeological excavations we have realised since 1971 at Enez proved this fact.
The excavations fulfilled both in and out of the Fortress showed that Enez was continuously settled from the Grece Archaic Period until the Ottoman Period. During the excavations eleven Byzantian coins, one in the Fortress and ten around were found. These coins are distinctive on account of their places and their positions at the time of unearthing. At the same time their characteristics are also interesting.
During the excavations in 1980, apart from the Ottoman and Byzantian ceramics, the first Byzantian coin of the 12th century was found in the wall, extended to the northwest-souhteast direction, at the right side of the entrance to the Fortress, in the west of the excavation area where an edifice erected by of treating the bedrock (See A. Erzen, Kazı Sonuçları Toplantısı III, 1981, p. 87; Arkeoloji ve Sanat 24/27, 1985, p. 8, Fig. 15).
The other ten coins were found under the foot of a stone wall of a sacred edifice with an apse (a church) unearthed in 1983 after sounding the district called “Kral Kızı”, in the east of Enez town (see, pl. VII, Fig. 3).
These coins were attained 1.20 m. deeper than the surface of the earth and at the northern corner of the wall. They were in a little, fight red and necked ceramic vase (see. pl. I, Fig. 1, 2, 3).
Now, the coins are in the Archeological Museum of Edirne. They were one by one graded and it was judged that the standard purity of all was 22 whereas their weights varied between 4.30-4.50 gm. As for the shape, the coins were minted concave (See A. Erzen, Kazı Sonuçları Toplantası VI, 1984, ΧΠΙ-XVI; here 1-3).
One of the gold coins is Alexius Comnenus’ (1081-1118) while nine of them belong to John II Comnenus (1118-1143) and the other one to a Byzantian Emperor named Isaac II Angelus (1185-1195).
These coins cover nearly a hundred year period consisting of the first emperors of the Comnenus Dynasty (1081-1185) and first important emperor of the Angelus Dynasty (1185-1204), Isaac II. This shows that the gold coins is really a collections burried in the earth, as well as the latest coin can be an antequem for the sacred edifice (the church); that is to say the church must be built before Emperor Isaacc’s reign (1185-1195). Thus, the coins belong to the Comnenus’ period, the 12th century A.D., and it is possible to list them as follows:
ALEXIUS COMNENUS (1081-1118)
1 ) Inv. No. : B 326/2011
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.70 X 2.50 cm.
Thickness : 0.05 cm.
Weight : 4.40 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Solidus (concave). Emperor Alexius, in a gown ornamented with pearls; standing; frontal; holding a scepter in one hand and a cross in the other. Vertical legend on both sides of the emperor: Α/Λε/ΞΙω/ΙΔεΌ/πο/Τ = [Τ]/ω/Κο/ ΜΝΗ/Ν/ω
Reverse : (Covex). Jesus Christ, seated on a very simple throne; frontal; in a tight mantle; his right elbow slightly bent and his hand raised. On both sides of the halo there are monograms’ Ι(ήσο) ς X (ρμσΤο) ς and the legend on the right and left of the throne + KeRo/ΗοεΙ (ΚCυρι)ε βοηθει (“O Lord! Help!”) (Pls. II, Fig. 1, 2).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2054; Sab. 2; Wr. 2; Morrisson, pp. 665-687, Pls. XCHI-XCV
JOHN II COMNENUS (1118-1143)
First Type
2 ) Inv. No. : B-322/2007
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.75 x 2.80 cm.
Thickness : 0.05 cm.
Weight : 4.50 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Solidus (concave). Virgin Mary, crowning and blessing Emperor John II upon his ascending to the throne. At the same level with her shoulder there is a monogram M-P; at the same level with her head there is another monogram θV. John II, standing in a gown, holding a round headed scepter. Vertical legend: ΙωIΔεcIποΙΤΗ
Reverse : (Convex). Jesus Christ, wrapped up in a large mantle; seated on a throne; frontal. Jesus Christ’s face and the monogram IC, [XC]: [ + κεRοIΗθεΙ] on his right side are indistinctive. (Pls. II, Fig. 3, 4).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2092; Sab. 1; Wr. 2; Morrisson, pp. 689-699, Pl. XCVI; Whitting, ibid.
3 ) Inv. No. : B-323/2008
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.80 x 2.75 cm.
Thickness : 0.046 cm.
Weight : 4.40 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Solidus (concave). Virgin Mary, in a long chiton; crowning and blessing Emperor John II with her right hand. Although his monograms are in good condition, his legend is indistinctive to a great extent: [ΙωIΔε] CIπoIT [H]
Reverse : (Convex). Jesus Christ, seated on an ornamented throne; frontal. Legends ICXC and +κεRοΙΗΘεΙ (Pls. Ill, Fig. 1, 2).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2092; Sab. 1; Wr. 2; Morrisson, ibid.; Whitting, ibid.
4 ) Inv. No. : B-324/2009
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.75 X 2.70 cm.
Thickness : 0.05 cm.
Weight : 4.40 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Solidus, same type (concave). Vertical legend ΙωΙ[Δε]cΙ[π]οΙΤIH Monogram θVMP
Reverse : Depiction and the legend I϶θHI + KeRᴒ İϽ Χ-Ͻ I are the reverse of the obverse (Pls. III, Fig. 3, 4).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2093; Wr. 5; Morrisson, ibid.
5 ) Inv. No. : 194/1451
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.80 X 2.60 cm.
Thickness : 0.04 cm.
Weight : 4.40 gm.
Definition : Solidus, same type (convex). IC XC, [Ι϶]ΘΗΙ ΚεΡ [ο], (Pls. IV, Fig. 1, 2).
6 ) Inv. No. : B-325/2010
Dimensions :
Diameter : 3.10 X 2.70 cm.
Thickness : 0.04 cm.
Weight : 4.40 gm.
Definition : On both sides, there are the same depictions and legends with the coins 2 and 3 (Pls. IV, Fig. 3, 4).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2029; Sab. 1; Wr. 2
Second Type
7 ) Inv. No. : B-32112006
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.60 X 2.75 cm.
Thickness : 0.04 cm.
Weight : 4.20 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Solidus (concave). Legend relating to the emperor is indistinctive. Virgin Mary, blessing the emperor with a cross. It is probable that there is a round legend on the arm of the emperor: [ΙωΔεοποΤΗ]
Reverse : Jesus Christ, depicted roughly in a large mantle; seated. On his both sides, the same monograms and legends with the other coins: [I]C-[XC] ΚεΡοΙΗθεΙ (Pls. V, Fig. 1, 2),
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2094, 2095, 2096 in a different style; Wr. 12.
8 ) Inv. No. : B-329/2014
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.50 X 2.80 cm.
Thickness : 0.05 cm.
Weight : 4.20 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Same type, minted in a different style. Legend: [Iω]ΔεεποΤΗ, θV MP
Reverse : (Convex). Jesus Christ, older; seated on a throne.
Monograms IC-XC (Pls. V, Fig. 3, 4).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2094, 2095
9 ) Inv. No. : B-320/2005
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.70 X 2.65 cm.
Thickness : 0.05 cm.
Weight : 4.30 gm.
Definition : Same type and style with the coin 8. Legends θVMP[lω] ΔεοποΤΗ]; ICXC (Pls. VI, Fig. 1, 2).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2094, 2095
Third Type
10 ) Inv. No. : B-328/2013
Dimensions :
Diameter : 3.00 X 2.70 cm.
Thickness : 0.02 cm.
Weight : 4.20 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Solidus (concave). Virgin Mary, crowning and blessing Emperor John II. Name of the emperor hardly legible; holding a scepter in his hand. Vertical legend on both sides [Ιω] ΔεClπo Ι[ΤωφVIΡοIΓεΝΗ/Τ
Reverse : (Convex). Jesus Christ, seated on an ornamented throne; his right hand raised. On both sides there are monograms: ICXC (Pl. VI, Fig. 3, 4).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 2097; Sab. 2; Wr. 41; Morrisson, ibid.
ISAAC II ANGELUS (1185-1195)
11 ) Inv. No. : B-327/2012
Dimensions :
Diameter : 2.60 X 2.75 cm.
Thickness : 0.04 cm.
Weight : 4.50 gm.
Definition :
Obverse : Solidus (concave). Emperor Isaac, holding a scepter in his hand; St. Michael, beside him; blessing the emperor. Legend: ICAKIOC [ΔεCπ] ΑΡΧΜ.
Reverse : (Convex). Virgin Mary, older; seated on a throne; frontal. Monogram MP [θV] (Pls. VII, Fig. 1, 2).
Bibliography : Ratt. No. 21 74-2179; Sab. 2; Wr. 13-14; Morrisson, pp. 739-749; Pls. CII-CIII
ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
Inv. No. : Inventory number given by the Archeological Museum of Edirne
Morrisson : Cécile MORRISSON, Catalogue des Monnaies Byzantines de la Bibliothèque Nationale,Tome deuxieme, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, 1970.
Ratt. : Rudolfe RATTO, Monnaies Byzantines, Amsterdam, 1959
Sab. : Y. SABATIER, Description de Monnaies Byzantines, Paris, 1862
Whitting : P.D. Whitting, Deutsche Übersetzung: Alfred, P-Zaller, Münzen von Byzanz, 1973, E. Rottenberg. Johannes II Komnenos (1118-1143). P- 185, Figrs. 280-281
Wr. : Warvick, WROTH, Catalogue of Emperial Byzantine, Coins in the British Museum, London, 1908