6 x 9. 312 pgs. 13 B&W photographs. (2003) Cloth 978-0-472-11333-0 $90.00S  Available Add to Cart Search this Book's Content About the Book Praise Look Inside Subjects Archaeology--Greek / Classical Studies--Greek / Economics / History

The Invention of Coinage and the Monetization of Ancient Greece

David M. Schaps

Winner of the 2010 Arie Kindler prize, awarded by the Israel Numismatic Society, Tel-Aviv Branch

Reveals how the concept of money did not materialize until the invention of Greek coinage

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Praise for the Book

"This book is a magisterial and pioneering treatment of a subject of seminal importance. Schaps's erudition is impressive---but leavened by a pleasant style and tone. In my opinion, the volume will generate interest among a wide audience, and should stimulate (and expedite) further research among specialists."
---Edward Cohen, University of Pennsylvania

"In this absorbing book David Schaps demonstrates that the Greeks were the first people in history to make widespread use of coinage, and so to have the concept of money, and that this relatively unappreciated fact is vital for understanding Greek society of the archaic and classical periods. This long overdue case is made by David Schaps with enormous intelligence and charm."
---Richard Seaford, University of Exeter

"Schaps provides intriguing food for thought for both ancient historians and modern economists. He argues that money existed before coinage, but that the invention of coinage reduced the costs of transactions enough to revolutionize life in ancient times, making monetization in ancient Greek society a crucial turning point in world history."
---Peter Temin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology