Ancient Coin Stories

Sinope is founded by settlers from Miletos.

Additional settlers from Miletos move to Sinope.

Xenophon and the 10,000 pass through Sinope.

Datames briefly occupies Sinope.

The city of Amastris is founded by Amastris, a Persian princess and the niece of the Persian king Darius III. She establishes the city by combining four smaller settlements: Sesamos, Kytoros, Tios, and Kromna.

Mithridates II unsuccessfully attempts to take Sinope, which is helped by Rhodes.

Pharnakes I takes Sinope, which then becomes the capital of the Pontic Kingdom.

Amaseia, Sinope, Amisos, and Amastris are captured by Romans under Lucullus.

Following the defeat of Mithridates VI by Pompey the Great, Amastris, Amisos, and Amaseia are integrated into the Roman province of Bithynia et Pontus.

Julius Caesar founds a colony names Colonia Julia Felix at Sinope.

Amastris is included in the Roman province of Bithynia et Pontus during the reign of Emperor Claudius.

Pliny the Younger, serving as the Roman governor of Bithynia et Pontus, writes to Emperor Trajan about various administrative matters in the province, including Amastris.

Amastris is affected by Gothic raids during a period of instability in the Roman Empire.