v15_0004 - SPAGNA - INDIGETES - EMPORIA / UNTIKESKEN (Provincia di Gerona - Ampurias) Unité de bronze ou as, (MB, Æ 27)

INDIGETES - EMPORIA / UNTIKESKEN (Province of Girona - Ampurias)

(1st century BC)

The Greek Emporion, the Roman Ampurias (Empúries in Catalan), today San Martin de Ampurias was founded around 580 BC, perhaps by Rhodian colonists like Rosas (Rhodè) or Phocaeans like Marseilles whose the foundations are contemporary. It was one of the most important ports in the Western Mediterranean. Emporia's Celtiberian name was Untikesken. After native issues, the city adopted the Latin alphabet. The coinage is late, between Caesar and Augustus. Emporia seems to have received the "municipium", during Augustus' journey in 27 or 25 BC. For the authors of the RPC, this right could already have been granted to it by Caesar, and only confirmed by Augustus. A very large number of aces were countermarked (cf., RPC. op. cit. p. 106-107).