Aiolis
Aiolis was an area that comprised the west and
northwestern region of Asia Minor, mostly along the coast, and also several
offshore islands where the Aeolian Greek city-states were located. Aeolis
incorporated the southern parts of Mysia which bounded it to the north, Ionia to
the south, and Lydia to the east. In early times, the Aeolians' twelve most
important cities were independent, and formed a league. The region was named for
the Aeolians, some of whom migrated there from Greece before 1000 B.C. Aeolis
was an ethnological and linguistic enclave rather than a geographical unit. The
district often was considered part of the larger northwest region of Mysia. By
the 8th century B.C., 12 of the southern Aeolian city-states were grouped
together in a league. The most celebrated of the cities was Smyrna (modern
Izmir, Turkey), but in 699 B.C. , Smyrna became part of an Ionian confederacy.
The remaining cities were conquered by Croesus, king of Lydia (reigned 560-546
B.C.). Later they were held successively by the Persians, Macedonians,
Seleucids, and Pergamenes. Attalus III, the last king of Pergamum, bequeathed
Aeolis to Rome in 133 B.C. Shortly afterward, it was made part of the Roman
province of Asia. At the partition of the Roman Empire (395 A.D.), Aeolis was
assigned to the East Roman (Byzantine) empire and remained under Byzantine rule
until the early 1400's, when the Ottoman Turks occupied the area.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeolis
Click on coin images to enlarge
Aiolis/Myrina
AE 16
2nd c. BC
Obvs: Head of Athena right, wearing helmet ornamented w/ griffin.
Revs: MY PI, Amphora between
16mm, 3.7g
$40.00
Order # G 161
Ref: Sear 4219
