Archaeological breakthrough as scientists discover hidden treasure in ancient Greek city

Archaeologists from the University of Michigan have made a remarkable discovery of a hoard of Persian gold coins in the ancient Greek city-state of Notion, situated on the west coast of Anatolia in Turkey. 

This find promises to shed new light on the historical interplay between ancient Greek and Persian civilisations.

The hoard was uncovered in a small ceramic pot within a large courtyard house at the heart of Notion. 

Among the coins are several darics, a type of gold coin issued by the Persian Empire, likely minted in the 5th century BC at Sardis, the capital of the Persian satrapy of Lydia. 

These coins feature the depiction of a kneeling archer, a characteristic design of the Persian daric, believed to be used as payment for mercenary troops.

Christopher Ratté, from the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology and director of the Notion Archaeological Project, pointed out the rarity and importance of such a discovery in a controlled archaeological excavation. 

“The discovery of such a valuable find in a controlled archaeological excavation is very rare,” Ratté said. 

He added that the hoard would provide a firm date, serving as an anchor to help fix the chronology of the entire sequence of coins.

Notion is located about 50 kilometers south of Izmir in modern Turkey. 

The city-state was strategically situated on a hill overlooking the sea, serving as a port for the nearby cities of Colophon and Claros. 

Pilgrims often passed through Notion on their way to the oracle of Apollo at Claros. 

Today, visitors can still see remnants of the city's defence walls, necropolis, temple, agora, and theatre.

Notion represents an extraordinary archaeological resource: a well-preserved and almost completely unexplored ancient city lying on the seaside in western Turkey. 

Its proximity to other major archaeological sites, including Klaros, Kolophon, Metropolis, and Ephesus, further enhances its significance.

The University of Michigan and Brown University initiated an archaeological survey project at Notion in 2014. 

Due to the absence of a prominent Classical temple or other signature monument, a systematic archaeological investigation of the city had not been previously undertaken. 

However, Notion's landscape, largely free of vegetation and modern buildings, makes it exceptionally well-suited for archaeological survey.