A methodological essay in numismatic iconography : arms and armour on Macedonian coinages (5th c. BC)
This is a methodological study that uses representations of arms and armour on coins of Alexander I and Perdikkas II as case studies in order to assess the value of visual analysis in numismatics. Each coinage is examined in three parts: a review of production dates for coins precedes a typological analysis of depicted arms and armour, which is then used in a critical investigation of potential meanings within current theoretical discourses. Context is a key variable in the creation of meaning and the understanding of relevant coin types bears heavily upon the circumstances of their production and use. Hence, secure production dates are first established in order to construct robust links between iconographic content and context. The next step focuses on a systematic classification of arms and armour within coin series and an evaluation of their representational value, which take account of links between military equipment in use and its pictorial counterparts on coins. Degrees of iconographic accuracy are identified and compositional elements of the depicted weaponry are analysed. The latter process embraces current controversies about the structure or use of certain pieces of weaponry. During the final step
Kosmidou, E.
A methodological essay in numismatic iconography : arms and armour on Macedonian coinages (5th c. BC). This is a methodological study that uses representations of arms and armour on coins of Alexander I and Perdikkas II as case studies in order to assess the value of visual analysis in numismatics. Each coinage is examined in three parts: a review of production dates for coins precedes a typological analysis of depicted arms and armour, which is then used in a critical investigation of potential meanings within current theoretical discourses. Context is a key variable in the creation of meaning and the understanding of relevant coin types bears heavily upon the circumstances of their production and use. Hence, secure production dates are first established in order to construct robust links between iconographic content and context. The next step focuses on a systematic classification of arms and armour within coin series and an evaluation of their representational value, which take account of links between military equipment in use and its pictorial counterparts on coins. Degrees of iconographic accuracy are identified and compositional elements of the depicted weaponry are analysed. The latter process embraces current controversies about the structure or use of certain pieces of weaponry. During the final step
methodological essay numismatic iconography arm_armour macedonian coinage methodological study use representation arm_armour coin alexander case_study order_assess value visual analysis numismatics coinage examine three_part review production date coin precedes typological_analysis depict arm_armour use critical investigation potential meaning within current theoretical discourse context key variable creation meaning relevant coin_type bear heavily upon circumstance production_use hence secure production date first_establish order construct robust link iconographic content context next step focus systematic classification arm_armour within coin series evaluation representational value take_account link military equipment use pictorial counterpart coin degrees iconographic accuracy identify compositional element depict weaponry analyse latter process embrace current controversy structure use certain piece weaponry final step