Papers by Alexandros Vouvoulis
Πότνια Πέλλης. Τιμητικός τόμος για την Μαρία Λιλιμπάκη-Ακαμάτη, 2022
The bronze astragalus under investigation comes from the south stoa of the Agora, western from th... more The bronze astragalus under investigation comes from the south stoa of the Agora, western from the main entrance on south. Both, the material chosen for its production and the existence of six control marks on its sides, render improbable the possibility of counterfeiting. The weight of the astragalus causes a lot of concern, since it does not fall to any of the denominations and devaluations of the Attic mina. The hypothesis that it belongs to the category of weights for the weighing of silver coins emerge as quite possible.
According to its weight, it seems that it was used to weight one hundred silver hemidrachms or tetrobols of Macedonians or hemidrachms of Istiaia, denominations in common use in the kingdom during the reign of Philip V. Probably it served on the collection of taxes or fees, at the entry of the products in the Agora.
Three among its six control marks we can also find them on coins of Philip V and a fourth it is very possible to constitute a monogram of king’s name, unknown till now. The monogram ΠΥΡ, it is very possible to refer not to the name Pyrrhus, but to Pyrrhichus, , because of the different depiction of the monogram of Pyrrhus, as it is known from the coins, and the monogram of the astragalus. If this suggestion is correct, it is very attractive the thought that this could belong to a magistrate of the city, probably Pyrrichus son of Chrysogonus from Edessa, member of Macedonian aristocracy and originating from a family with close and friendly relations with Macedonian royal family.
Pondera antiqua et mediaevalia II, 2022
In this paper it is presented a bronze weight, found in Pella, the capital of macedonian kingdom.... more In this paper it is presented a bronze weight, found in Pella, the capital of macedonian kingdom. Its two depictions on its front face, a bird and a phallus, seems to be collerated with Dionysus, one of the most important gods of the kingdom and an anchestor god for Temenids.
Τῷ διδασκάλῳ Τιμητικός τόμος για τον καθηγητή Ιωάννη Ακαμάτη, 2019
The current paper examines five bronze, relief weights, produced in a mold. They have all been di... more The current paper examines five bronze, relief weights, produced in a mold. They have all been discovered in the Agora of Pella and its surrounds. They are all square; on their upper surface they bear either a denotation of their weight (nos 1-3) or a symbol (no 4) or a monogram (no. 5), which possibly indicates the name of an official of the city.
The majority of the weights adopts the Attic weight standard. The only exception is no. 1, which follows the “allied standard”. By their weight, three standards can be recognized. Weight no. 3 fits with Attic mna of 105 drachmas; weights nos. 2 and 4 follow a mna of 112 drachmas, while weights nos. 1 and 5 relate to a mna of 138 drachmas. The last two examples derive from the destruction layer of the city or immediately below it. This leads us to the conclusion that they were possibly in use at the time of the destruction of the city in the early 1st century B.C. The market control, evident on weight no. 5, which was stamped with an official seal in order to be reused, comprises an additional indication that the weight standard of the early 1st century B.C. was the one of the mna of 138 drachmas. Therefore, we can distinguish at least two changes in the weight standard, with the very last being in use in the final days of Pella.
The caduceus and the monogram on the weights nos. 4 and 5, strengthened by the market control evidence, verifying the existence of archons in Pella. They had the responsibility to produce the prototypes and to control the weight standards, either during the reign or after the Roman conquest.
Lastly, the developed commerce existing in the capital of the Macedonian kingdom may explain the discovery of weight no. 1 in an area close to the central south entrance of the Agora. It would have been required in such a milieu for regulating purchases and in the possible exchange of coins to silver according to the familiar weight standard.
This paper examines a funerary epigraphy from Stavroupoli region of Thessaloniki. It probably bel... more This paper examines a funerary epigraphy from Stavroupoli region of Thessaloniki. It probably belongs to a person of Ionian origin, named Komaios, who died and buried at the region of Thermaic Gulf at the beginning of 4th century BC.
The present article refers to six pits from the Agora of ancient Pella and to the study of their ... more The present article refers to six pits from the Agora of ancient Pella and to the study of their findings which consist mostly of pottery. The unglazed pottery composes the findings’ great majority, with the shapes of lekanai, pointed amphoras, oinochoai and jugs predominating. However, inside the pit’s context quite some examples of glazed vases (mostly bowls and kantharoi), some figurines’ parts, part of four stamped handles, clay looms weights, some metal objects and eight bronze coins can be found. Οn the basis of the 8 coins and the vases, which preserve their profile, a dating for the pits’ opening at the 1st quarter of the 3rd cent. B.C. seems very probable. In conclusion, it seems very probable that the pits belonged to adjacent workshops, possibly metallurgy ones as the metal remnants inside the pits’ material suggest, and were opened for their wastes (as the discovery of some faulty products in its interior implies), possibly abandoned for a large period of time in a workshop’s room. Thus, it is not unlikely that the pits’ opening is related with one of the road’s first repairing phases.
The present article refers to six pits from the Agora of ancient Pella and to the study of their ... more The present article refers to six pits from the Agora of ancient Pella and to the study of their findings which consist mostly of pottery. The exact location of the pits is north of the city block I/7 and they were excavated during the summer and the autumn of 2006. The pits are medium-sized. The unglazed pottery composes the findings’ great majority, with the shapes of lekanai, pointed amphoras, oinochoai and jugs predominating. However, inside the pit’s context quite some examples of glazed vases (mostly bowls and kantharoi), some figurines’ parts, part of four stamped handles, clay looms weights, some metal objects and eight bronze coins can be found. Despite the particularly fragmentary state of preservation of the findings, the age of the pit can be estimated on the basis of the 8 coins and the vases, which preserve their profile. Hence, a dating for the pits’ opening at the 1st quarter of the 3rd cent. B.C. seems very probable. Both the lack of chromatic alteration at the pits’ filling and the fact that in some occasions shreds from different layers can be agglutinated suggest that the filling of the pits was unified and relatively quick. In conclusion, it seems very probable that the pits belonged to adjacent workshops, possibly metallurgy ones as the metal remnants inside the pits’ material suggest, and were opened for their wastes (as the discovery of some faulty products in its interior implies), possibly abandoned for a large period of time in a workshop’s room. Thus, it is not unlikely that the pits’ opening is related with one of the road’s first repairing phases.
In this paper is presented the presence of Apollo in Macedonia and its meaning for the population... more In this paper is presented the presence of Apollo in Macedonia and its meaning for the population. With the chause Macedonia is specified the Department of Greece, in it's modern boundaries, except from the island of Thasos. In the beginning we exam the references of the ancient sources about the worship of Apollo in Macedonia and also the sanctuaries of god, that were discovered by the archaeological research. Further more, we speak about the presence of Apollo at the coins of the cities and the Kings of Macedonia and are being examed the informations that we take, ritual or political. Finally, are presented the statues, the reliefs, the terracotta figurines, the inscriptions and all the objects that were found in region of Macedonia and represent the god, except from the imported pottery.
Books by Alexandros Vouvoulis
Τῷ διδασκάλῳ. Τιμητικός τόμος για τον καθηγητή Ιωάννη Ακαμάτη, 2019
Η Πέλλα είναι σήμερα ένας από τους σημαντικότερους επισκέψιμους αρχαιολογικούς χώρους της Ελλάδας... more Η Πέλλα είναι σήμερα ένας από τους σημαντικότερους επισκέψιμους αρχαιολογικούς χώρους της Ελλάδας που συνδυαστικά με το νεόδμητο μουσείο διαμορφώνουν ένα μοναδικό αρχαιολογικό σύνολο. Σε αυτό το έργο, που παρήχθη, η συμβολή του καθηγητή κ. Ιωάννη Ακαμάτη υπήρξε καθοριστική. Αφοσιωμένος επιστήμονας με ακούραστη διάθεση επικέντρωσε την επιστημονική του έρευνα στην ανασκαφή και τη μελέτη της Αγοράς της Πέλλας και έφερε στο φως το μεγάλο αυτό συγκρότημα που μας επέτρεψε να κατανοήσουμε το μέγεθος της αρχαίας πρωτεύουσας και το ρόλο της στον ελληνιστικό κόσμο.
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Papers by Alexandros Vouvoulis
According to its weight, it seems that it was used to weight one hundred silver hemidrachms or tetrobols of Macedonians or hemidrachms of Istiaia, denominations in common use in the kingdom during the reign of Philip V. Probably it served on the collection of taxes or fees, at the entry of the products in the Agora.
Three among its six control marks we can also find them on coins of Philip V and a fourth it is very possible to constitute a monogram of king’s name, unknown till now. The monogram ΠΥΡ, it is very possible to refer not to the name Pyrrhus, but to Pyrrhichus, , because of the different depiction of the monogram of Pyrrhus, as it is known from the coins, and the monogram of the astragalus. If this suggestion is correct, it is very attractive the thought that this could belong to a magistrate of the city, probably Pyrrichus son of Chrysogonus from Edessa, member of Macedonian aristocracy and originating from a family with close and friendly relations with Macedonian royal family.
The majority of the weights adopts the Attic weight standard. The only exception is no. 1, which follows the “allied standard”. By their weight, three standards can be recognized. Weight no. 3 fits with Attic mna of 105 drachmas; weights nos. 2 and 4 follow a mna of 112 drachmas, while weights nos. 1 and 5 relate to a mna of 138 drachmas. The last two examples derive from the destruction layer of the city or immediately below it. This leads us to the conclusion that they were possibly in use at the time of the destruction of the city in the early 1st century B.C. The market control, evident on weight no. 5, which was stamped with an official seal in order to be reused, comprises an additional indication that the weight standard of the early 1st century B.C. was the one of the mna of 138 drachmas. Therefore, we can distinguish at least two changes in the weight standard, with the very last being in use in the final days of Pella.
The caduceus and the monogram on the weights nos. 4 and 5, strengthened by the market control evidence, verifying the existence of archons in Pella. They had the responsibility to produce the prototypes and to control the weight standards, either during the reign or after the Roman conquest.
Lastly, the developed commerce existing in the capital of the Macedonian kingdom may explain the discovery of weight no. 1 in an area close to the central south entrance of the Agora. It would have been required in such a milieu for regulating purchases and in the possible exchange of coins to silver according to the familiar weight standard.
Books by Alexandros Vouvoulis
According to its weight, it seems that it was used to weight one hundred silver hemidrachms or tetrobols of Macedonians or hemidrachms of Istiaia, denominations in common use in the kingdom during the reign of Philip V. Probably it served on the collection of taxes or fees, at the entry of the products in the Agora.
Three among its six control marks we can also find them on coins of Philip V and a fourth it is very possible to constitute a monogram of king’s name, unknown till now. The monogram ΠΥΡ, it is very possible to refer not to the name Pyrrhus, but to Pyrrhichus, , because of the different depiction of the monogram of Pyrrhus, as it is known from the coins, and the monogram of the astragalus. If this suggestion is correct, it is very attractive the thought that this could belong to a magistrate of the city, probably Pyrrichus son of Chrysogonus from Edessa, member of Macedonian aristocracy and originating from a family with close and friendly relations with Macedonian royal family.
The majority of the weights adopts the Attic weight standard. The only exception is no. 1, which follows the “allied standard”. By their weight, three standards can be recognized. Weight no. 3 fits with Attic mna of 105 drachmas; weights nos. 2 and 4 follow a mna of 112 drachmas, while weights nos. 1 and 5 relate to a mna of 138 drachmas. The last two examples derive from the destruction layer of the city or immediately below it. This leads us to the conclusion that they were possibly in use at the time of the destruction of the city in the early 1st century B.C. The market control, evident on weight no. 5, which was stamped with an official seal in order to be reused, comprises an additional indication that the weight standard of the early 1st century B.C. was the one of the mna of 138 drachmas. Therefore, we can distinguish at least two changes in the weight standard, with the very last being in use in the final days of Pella.
The caduceus and the monogram on the weights nos. 4 and 5, strengthened by the market control evidence, verifying the existence of archons in Pella. They had the responsibility to produce the prototypes and to control the weight standards, either during the reign or after the Roman conquest.
Lastly, the developed commerce existing in the capital of the Macedonian kingdom may explain the discovery of weight no. 1 in an area close to the central south entrance of the Agora. It would have been required in such a milieu for regulating purchases and in the possible exchange of coins to silver according to the familiar weight standard.