Antioch in Syria
A History from Coins (300 BCE–450 CE)

Antioch in Syria critically reassesses this ancient city from its Seleucid foundation into Late Antiquity. Although Antioch's prominence is famous, Kristina M. Neumann newly exposes the gradations of imperial power and local agency mediated within its walls through a comprehensive study of the coins minted there and excavated throughout the Mediterranean and Middle East. Patterns revealed through digital mapping and Exploratory Data Analysis serve as a significant index of spatial politics and the policies of the different authorities making use of the city. Evaluating the coins against other historical material reveals that Antioch's status was not fixed, nor the people passive pawns for external powers. Instead, as imperial governments capitalised upon Antioch's location and amenities, the citizens developed in their own distinct identities and agency. Antioch of the Antiochians must therefore be elevated from traditional narratives and static characterisations, being studied and celebrated for the dynamic polis it was.

Reviews & endorsements

'Kristina M. Neumann's book is exceptionally well grounded in the original and secondary sources for its history, as well as in the evidence provided by epigraphy and archaeology. Moreover, she provides a noteworthy aid to future such undertakings by sharing the data …' Alan Stahl, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

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Product details

• Date Published: March 2023
• format: Paperback
• isbn: 9781108940375
• length: 438 pages

• dimensions: 242 x 169 x 24 mm
• weight: 0.76kg
• contains: 104 b/w illus. 53 maps 27 tables
• availability: Available