What is it about?
The article questions the reliability and usefulness of established chronological anchors for dating archaeological artifacts from Ionia (Asia Minor, modern Turkey). Two case-studies are in the centre of the discussion: electrum coins from Phokaia and the so-called Klazomenian sarcophagi. The article shows how our overreliance on Athenian chronologies hinders alternative interpretations.
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Why is it important?
Archaeological evidence remains essential for the reconstruction of ancient societies especially when contemporary written sources are scarce. Assigning dates to artifacts is therefore critical for any kind of (social, historical, economic, cultural) context in which they feature. This article proposes a revision of existing chronologies for Asia Minor.
Perspectives
The article is a continuation of my ongoing work on archaic and classical Ionia. As with an article published in 2019 ('Figures in motion: An Ionian perspective on the Severe Style') I am keen to highlight the potential pitfalls of using Athenian stylistic and chronological frameworks as static classification of non-Athenian materials.
Anja Slawisch
University of Edinburgh
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Phokaean Electrum Coinage and Klazomenian Red-Figure Decoration, November 2025, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1163/9789004746602_013.
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