Kevin Butcher
Biographic Data
| ID | 214147 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kevin Butcher |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kevin |
| FAMILY NAME | Butcher |
| SIGNATURE | BUTCHER K |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Warwick |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 27 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 26 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1990 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Antioch on the Orontes
Antioch on the Orontes was one of the most important cities of the ancient Mediterranean world. A hinge between the Mediterranean, Central Asia, and the Far East, its commercial and cultural prominence spanned centuries, from its Seleucid foundation to the Islamic conquest and beyond. This volume offers an archaeological and historical overview of Antioch from its origins through late antiquity. Drawing on a vast body of modern research, it explo…
The Antioch Mint
This chapter explores the establishemnt of the local mint and its activities from the days of the Seleucid monarchs to the late Roman Empire.
Response to comment of Albarède and colleagues
Our purpose is to better understand the actions and behaviours of people in the past, often with a focus on ancient economies, and we are willing to use tools from any discipline that allow us to explore these issues. This is why it is so important that the limitations of techniques applied to archaeology are presented as explicitly as their utility
Mints not Mines
Although silver coins have been investigated through the lens of geological provenance to locate argentiferous ore deposits exploited in their production, we consider that this avenue of research may be a cul-de-sac, especially for studies that rely heavily on deciphering lead and silver isotope signatures that may have been altered by the addition of lead and copper (and their associated impurities) during silver refining and debasement, and by …
Crisis? What crisis? Recycling of silver for Roman Republican coinage
Dated measurements of lead pollution in deep Greenland ice have become a useful proxy to monitor historical events because interruptions in lead-silver production result in fluctuations in lead emissions. However, the application of the lead emission record has not perhaps received the attention it deserves because of the difficulty in connecting macroscale events, such as wars and plagues, to their economic repercussions. For instance, although …
Eastern Imitations and the Beginning of the Antiochene SC Coinage
The movement of, and imitation of, Roman coins beyond the boundaries of the Empire is a topic of interest to Aleksander Bursche, and he has shed a great deal of light on the presence of genuine Roman coins and their imitations, in Barbaricum. The northern frontiers are not the only place where these phenomena are encountered, although elsewhere the underlying mechanisms and motives may be substantially different. In Parthian-controlled Mesopotami…
Understanding Roman Gold Coinage Inside Out
Debasement
Debasement. Manipulation of coin standards in pre-modern monetary systems
The debasement of coinage, particularly of silver, was a common feature of pre-modern monetary systems. Most coinages were issued by state authorities and the condition of a coinage is often seen (rightly or wrongly) as an indicator of the broader fiscal health of the state that produced it. While in some cases the motives behind the debasements or reductions in standards are clear, in many cases the intentions of the issuing authorities are unce…
Roman Coins, Money, and Society in Elizabethan England
Using Negative Muons as a Probe for Depth Profiling Silver Roman Coinage
Debasement of silver Roman coins is a well-known phenomenon and understanding the quality of ancient silver coinages can provide an idea about the underlying fiscal condition of the issuing states. These coins are made from a silver-copper alloy, the surfaces of which were deliberately enhanced at the mints by a process of surface-enrichment to give them the appearance of being made of pure silver. Therefore, any surface analysis would provide a …
Heliopolis
Recent research on the temples at Roman Heliopolis (Baalbek in modern Lebanon) has emphasized visual links between architectural elements within and between the sanctuaries. This paper explores the ways in which the representations of the temples and sanctuaries on the civic coinage of Heliopolis can contribute to this debate. The civic coins are here understood as objects which helped to construct identity and communal memory in the city that is…
Monetary policy in the Roman Empire
A key figure in the history of scholarship on Roman monetary history is Theodor Mommsen. At the risk of caricature, this chapter outlines the key features of relevance. At its heart is the matter of whether the Romans mismanaged their currency to the extent that it caused an economic crisis, and whether they had any monetary policy beyond debasing their silver coinage to overcome fiscal difficulties. Recovering the monetary history of the Roman e…
The Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage
The fineness of Roman imperial and provincial coinage has been regarded as an indicator of the broader fiscal health of the Roman Empire, with the apparent gradual decline of the silver content being treated as evidence for worsening deficits and the contraction of the supply of natural resources from which the coins were made. This book explores the composition of Roman silver coinage of the first century AD, re-examining traditional interpretat…
Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage
Antioch in Syria
Antioch was a city of the Syrian Tetrapolis founded by Seleukos I Nikator between 301 and 299 BCE and named after his father, Antiochos.
Apamea, Syria
A city of the Syrian Tetrapolis, founded by Seleukos I Nikator between 301 and 299 BCE and named after his Persian wife Apame.
Roman Berytus
The Silver Coinage of Roman Syria Under the Julio-Claudian Emperors
Analyses of 71 Roman provincial silver coins of the Julio-Claudian emperors (27 BC–AD 68) minted at Caesarea in Cappadocia and Antioch and Tyre in Syria are discussed in this paper. The finenesses of the alloys are presented and it is proposed that there was a logical relationship between the standards used for Caesarea and Antioch. Trace element profiles and selected lead isotope analyses help to characterize the products of the different mints,…
Acolytes and Aspergilla
Two Syrian deities
Cet article prend en considération deux types monétaires, portant deux divinités mâle et femelle, que les savants considèrent habituellement comme cappadociens d’origine. L’étude des lieux de trouvaille et de leur composition métallique conduit à conclure que ces types circulaient en Syrie, non en Cappadoce. Les divinités représentées doivent donc avoir quelque rapport avec la Syrie. On suggère qu’il s’agit des dieux de Hiérapolis, Hadad et Atarg…
Information, Legitimation, or Self-Legitimation? Popular and Elite Designs on the Coin Types of Syria
In a Famous Essay ‘Numismatics and History’, A. H. M. Jones suggested that Roman imperial coin types could be compared to the designs on modern postage stamps. The purpose of this analogy was to demonstrate the relative insignificance of types and legends for the study of imperial policy. In doing so, however, he addressed a fundamental problem which is of particular relevance here: What are the meaning(s) of coin types, and who chose the designs…
The Roman Denarius Under the Julio‐claudian Emperors
The results of the chemical analysis of 78 silver denarii issued by the Julio‐Claudian emperors are presented and interpreted against the available numismatic, archaeological and historical information. Earlier surface analyses are found to be incorrect, especially for the coinage of Nero, and the reasons for this are investigated. The new elemental data are augmented by a subset of coins being subjected to lead isotope analysis and the results o…
A note on excavations in central Beirut 1994-96
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Rome and the East. Production of Roman Provincial Silver Coinage for Caesarea in Cappadocia Under Vespasian, Ad 69–79
During the first three centuries AD several eastern provinces of the Roman empire produced silver coinages of specifically local denominations and types. It has been claimed that at certain periods the mint of Rome was employed to strike some of these coinages, rather than the provincial mints to which the coins are traditionally attributed. This claim is based mainly on stylistic observations, but because style is regarded as subjective, some ot…
The Roman Denarius Under the Julio‐claudian Emperors
The results of the chemical analysis of 78 silver denarii issued by the Julio‐Claudian emperors are presented and interpreted against the available numismatic, archaeological and historical information. Earlier surface analyses are found to be incorrect, especially for the coinage of Nero, and the reasons for this are investigated. The new elemental data are augmented by a subset of coins being subjected to lead isotope analysis and the results o…
Mischievous pastime or historical science
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Understanding Roman Gold Coinage Inside Out
Mints not Mines
Although silver coins have been investigated through the lens of geological provenance to locate argentiferous ore deposits exploited in their production, we consider that this avenue of research may be a cul-de-sac, especially for studies that rely heavily on deciphering lead and silver isotope signatures that may have been altered by the addition of lead and copper (and their associated impurities) during silver refining and debasement, and by …
Rome and the East. Production of Roman Provincial Silver Coinage for Caesarea in Cappadocia Under Vespasian, Ad 69–79
During the first three centuries AD several eastern provinces of the Roman empire produced silver coinages of specifically local denominations and types. It has been claimed that at certain periods the mint of Rome was employed to strike some of these coinages, rather than the provincial mints to which the coins are traditionally attributed. This claim is based mainly on stylistic observations, but because style is regarded as subjective, some ot…
The Director, the Dealer, the Goddess, and Her Champions
The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge acquired a marble statue of a "Cretan goddess" in 1926. It had been authenticated by Sir Arthur Evans and was subsequently published by A. J. B. Wace. This paper investigates the way that this object came to be accepted as genuine and throws light on the creation of Minoan forgeries in the 1920s during the completion of Evans's reconstructions at Knossos. In many of these cases the matter of authenticity has ne…
Using Negative Muons as a Probe for Depth Profiling Silver Roman Coinage
Debasement of silver Roman coins is a well-known phenomenon and understanding the quality of ancient silver coinages can provide an idea about the underlying fiscal condition of the issuing states. These coins are made from a silver-copper alloy, the surfaces of which were deliberately enhanced at the mints by a process of surface-enrichment to give them the appearance of being made of pure silver. Therefore, any surface analysis would provide a …
A note on excavations in central Beirut 1994-96
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Mischievous pastime or historical science
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
The Director, the Dealer, the Goddess, and Her Champions
The Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge acquired a marble statue of a "Cretan goddess" in 1926. It had been authenticated by Sir Arthur Evans and was subsequently published by A. J. B. Wace. This paper investigates the way that this object came to be accepted as genuine and throws light on the creation of Minoan forgeries in the 1920s during the completion of Evans's reconstructions at Knossos. In many of these cases the matter of authenticity has ne…
Rome and the East. Production of Roman Provincial Silver Coinage for Caesarea in Cappadocia Under Vespasian, Ad 69–79
During the first three centuries AD several eastern provinces of the Roman empire produced silver coinages of specifically local denominations and types. It has been claimed that at certain periods the mint of Rome was employed to strike some of these coinages, rather than the provincial mints to which the coins are traditionally attributed. This claim is based mainly on stylistic observations, but because style is regarded as subjective, some ot…
A note on excavations in central Beirut 1994-96
An abstract is not available for this content so a preview has been provided. Please use the Get access link above for information on how to access this content
Information, Legitimation, or Self-Legitimation? Popular and Elite Designs on the Coin Types of Syria
In a Famous Essay ‘Numismatics and History’, A. H. M. Jones suggested that Roman imperial coin types could be compared to the designs on modern postage stamps. The purpose of this analogy was to demonstrate the relative insignificance of types and legends for the study of imperial policy. In doing so, however, he addressed a fundamental problem which is of particular relevance here: What are the meaning(s) of coin types, and who chose the designs…
The Roman Denarius Under the Julio‐claudian Emperors
The results of the chemical analysis of 78 silver denarii issued by the Julio‐Claudian emperors are presented and interpreted against the available numismatic, archaeological and historical information. Earlier surface analyses are found to be incorrect, especially for the coinage of Nero, and the reasons for this are investigated. The new elemental data are augmented by a subset of coins being subjected to lead isotope analysis and the results o…
Two Syrian deities
Cet article prend en considération deux types monétaires, portant deux divinités mâle et femelle, que les savants considèrent habituellement comme cappadociens d’origine. L’étude des lieux de trouvaille et de leur composition métallique conduit à conclure que ces types circulaient en Syrie, non en Cappadoce. Les divinités représentées doivent donc avoir quelque rapport avec la Syrie. On suggère qu’il s’agit des dieux de Hiérapolis, Hadad et Atarg…
The Silver Coinage of Roman Syria Under the Julio-Claudian Emperors
Analyses of 71 Roman provincial silver coins of the Julio-Claudian emperors (27 BC–AD 68) minted at Caesarea in Cappadocia and Antioch and Tyre in Syria are discussed in this paper. The finenesses of the alloys are presented and it is proposed that there was a logical relationship between the standards used for Caesarea and Antioch. Trace element profiles and selected lead isotope analyses help to characterize the products of the different mints,…
Acolytes and Aspergilla
Roman Berytus
Antioch in Syria
Antioch was a city of the Syrian Tetrapolis founded by Seleukos I Nikator between 301 and 299 BCE and named after his father, Antiochos.
Apamea, Syria
A city of the Syrian Tetrapolis, founded by Seleukos I Nikator between 301 and 299 BCE and named after his Persian wife Apame.
The Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage
The fineness of Roman imperial and provincial coinage has been regarded as an indicator of the broader fiscal health of the Roman Empire, with the apparent gradual decline of the silver content being treated as evidence for worsening deficits and the contraction of the supply of natural resources from which the coins were made. This book explores the composition of Roman silver coinage of the first century AD, re-examining traditional interpretat…
Metallurgy of Roman Silver Coinage
Monetary policy in the Roman Empire
A key figure in the history of scholarship on Roman monetary history is Theodor Mommsen. At the risk of caricature, this chapter outlines the key features of relevance. At its heart is the matter of whether the Romans mismanaged their currency to the extent that it caused an economic crisis, and whether they had any monetary policy beyond debasing their silver coinage to overcome fiscal difficulties. Recovering the monetary history of the Roman e…
Roman Coins, Money, and Society in Elizabethan England
Using Negative Muons as a Probe for Depth Profiling Silver Roman Coinage
Debasement of silver Roman coins is a well-known phenomenon and understanding the quality of ancient silver coinages can provide an idea about the underlying fiscal condition of the issuing states. These coins are made from a silver-copper alloy, the surfaces of which were deliberately enhanced at the mints by a process of surface-enrichment to give them the appearance of being made of pure silver. Therefore, any surface analysis would provide a …
Heliopolis
Recent research on the temples at Roman Heliopolis (Baalbek in modern Lebanon) has emphasized visual links between architectural elements within and between the sanctuaries. This paper explores the ways in which the representations of the temples and sanctuaries on the civic coinage of Heliopolis can contribute to this debate. The civic coins are here understood as objects which helped to construct identity and communal memory in the city that is…
Debasement
Debasement. Manipulation of coin standards in pre-modern monetary systems
The debasement of coinage, particularly of silver, was a common feature of pre-modern monetary systems. Most coinages were issued by state authorities and the condition of a coinage is often seen (rightly or wrongly) as an indicator of the broader fiscal health of the state that produced it. While in some cases the motives behind the debasements or reductions in standards are clear, in many cases the intentions of the issuing authorities are unce…
Eastern Imitations and the Beginning of the Antiochene SC Coinage
The movement of, and imitation of, Roman coins beyond the boundaries of the Empire is a topic of interest to Aleksander Bursche, and he has shed a great deal of light on the presence of genuine Roman coins and their imitations, in Barbaricum. The northern frontiers are not the only place where these phenomena are encountered, although elsewhere the underlying mechanisms and motives may be substantially different. In Parthian-controlled Mesopotami…
Understanding Roman Gold Coinage Inside Out
Response to comment of Albarède and colleagues
Our purpose is to better understand the actions and behaviours of people in the past, often with a focus on ancient economies, and we are willing to use tools from any discipline that allow us to explore these issues. This is why it is so important that the limitations of techniques applied to archaeology are presented as explicitly as their utility
Mints not Mines
Although silver coins have been investigated through the lens of geological provenance to locate argentiferous ore deposits exploited in their production, we consider that this avenue of research may be a cul-de-sac, especially for studies that rely heavily on deciphering lead and silver isotope signatures that may have been altered by the addition of lead and copper (and their associated impurities) during silver refining and debasement, and by …
Crisis? What crisis? Recycling of silver for Roman Republican coinage
Dated measurements of lead pollution in deep Greenland ice have become a useful proxy to monitor historical events because interruptions in lead-silver production result in fluctuations in lead emissions. However, the application of the lead emission record has not perhaps received the attention it deserves because of the difficulty in connecting macroscale events, such as wars and plagues, to their economic repercussions. For instance, although …
History (19 works) · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History (14 works) · Ancient history (12 works) · Art (12 works) · Archaeology and Historical Studies (11 works) · History (10 works) · Archaeology (8 works) · Classical Antiquity Studies (8 works) · Philosophy (6 works) · Byzantine Studies and History (5 works)