HOMONOIA AGREEMENTS OF CYZICUS IN THE LIGHT OF COINS

Abstract

Homonoia means feeling, consensus, agreement-harmony in Greek. The concept of homonoia was used for the harmony of the family and the individuals, and then it also represented the harmony of the cities. Homonoia agreements played an important role in resolving conflicts between cities. Among the purposes of homonoia agreements are border disputes, commercial and religious issues, ethnic origins and issues such as jointly celebrated festivals. None of the homonoia agreements have survived to the present day. The traces of these agreements can be traced from the commonly minted coins on which the ethnikon of the cities and the OMONOIA legend are found. This tradition of minting coins is peculiar to the cities of Asia Minor. Cyzicus minted homonoia coins with the leading cities of Asia Minor, Ephesos, Smyrna, Propontis and Hierepolis. With a few exceptions, Kyzikos homonoia coins have the general characteristics of homonoia coins. On the Homonoia coins, Cyzicus is represented by the city's protective goddesses, Demeter/Kore, the founding king Kyzikos, the city's Tykhe, and handshaking figures. One of the main reasons for the Kyzikos homonoia agreements is that the city has roads coming from all directions and an important port. In this study, homonoia coins will be evaluated in general and Kyzikos homonoia coins will be examined. Thus, a contribution will be made to the field where there is a limited number of Turkish resources. The reasons for the homonoia agreements made by Kyzikos will be tried to be revealed with the help of ancient and modern sources.