The Third Side of the Coin: Using Google Earth to Visualize Numismatic Data
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Abstract
This article presents one digital approach to ancient numismatics. The proposed methodology maps geo-referenced quantities of coin finds within the platform of Google Earth – a free virtual globe available through the Internet. Especially for the uninitiated scholar, Google Earth efficiently visualizes both the spatial and chronological distribution of thousands of coins and provides an intuitive and interactive space for exploring regional and empire-wide patterns in their movement. While the practical applications of this methodology are many, this article focuses on an ongoing study of Antioch-on-the-Orontes in northern Syria and its regional evolution after Roman annexation. This project draws upon Google Earth as an invaluable first step in synthesizing the wealth of disparate coin data available for the city. After outlining the methodology to achieve such a visualization, this article highlights several promising patterns revealed by Google Earth in the dataset.
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