The Numismatic Museum

The Numismatic Museum is located in a building designed by Ernst Ziller. The building, Iliou Melathron or the Palace of Troy, was one of the most beautiful private residences in Athens in the late 19th century. It was situated on Panepistimiou Street (now Eleutherios Venizelou Avenue). The building is interesting also because it was the residence of Heinrich Schliemann, the "Discoverer of Troy."

 

The building had a beautiful garden, which now houses the museum's nice café. The information board mentions that Schliemann's gardener was nicknamed Priam. However, Schliemann himself enjoyed tending to his grapevines, peanuts, pomegranate trees, apricot trees, and peach trees when he was not away on a journey or excavation. The garden also featured palms, cypresses, acacias, and some other common trees in Athens at that time. Cats, poultry, and doves roamed freely in the garden, finding an ideal sanctuary in the heart of the city.



 

The garden and café of the Numismatic museum. Photos from march 2022. Photo by OI
Gate to the Inner Courtyard. The striking decorative motif originates from the excavations of Troy, not from the 20th century

 

Schliemann wanted a grand house with wide marble stairs, spacious rooms, and a rooftop terrace. His friend Ernst Ziller realized this vision between 1878 and 1880. The decorative paintings were done by Slovenian painter Juri Šubic, depicting scenes from Schliemann's excavations in Troy and Mycenae. The basement housed a museum for archaeological findings.



 

Interior of the Museum. Photos by OI



 

How did Schliemann end up in Athens? A Berlin exhibition in the summer of 2022 sheds light on this through the story that in 1869, a turning point occurred in Schliemann's life. He published an account of his travels in Greece and Asia Minor and defended his thesis at the University of Rostock. Additionally, he divorced his Russian wife and remarried with 17-year-old Greek Sofia Engastromenos, chosen based on photographs. Sofia, who missed her family didn’t enjoy living at the familys Paris residence. The couple moved from Paris to Athens in 1871.

Wedding photo of the Schliemanns (from the Berlin exhibition) and the married couple depicted in the premises of the Numismatic Museum





 

Schliemann had a successful international commercial career before embarking on his second life mission as a visionary archaeologist, the Discoverer of Troy. The Numismatic Museum states that despite global recognition, his fate was harsh, and his hubris great. "At the pinnacle of global recognition, after a long tour of Central Europe, sick and almost deaf, death struck in an undignified manner on the paved stones of Piazza della Charita in Naples, Italy. He was alone and unknown. Just before Christmas, in the year 1890."

The Berlin Schliemann exhibition sheds a somewhat more detailed light on his career. Although Schliemann died in Naples, alone, he was indeed at the peak of his career at the time of his death. In the field of archaeology, he faced staunch opposition, especially within the German university circles, but he also had strong supporters. Departing as a recovering patient on the journey back to Athens to be home with his family for Christmas was evidently a misjudgment and had consequences along the way. He was buried with solemn ceremonies in Athens

The Berlin Schliemann exhibition recounts that he lived in Athens with his Greek family from 1870 until his death in 1890. It is said that he spoke ancient Greek mixed with elements of modern Greek. The magnificent residence, Iliou Melathron, became an important place in the city's social life. During this period, Schliemann seems to have spent less than half the year with his family. Otherwise, he was extensively involved in excavations. He often rode to the Phaleron beach at dawn and swam in the sea as the sun rose. On the way back, he enjoyed the stunning view of the city, surrounded by mountains, crowned by the Acropolis. Modern Athens, built in the neoclassical style since the 1830s, had emerged. The complex formed by the university, academy, and library constituted the intellectual center of the city during Schliemann's time. The population was around 45,000 in 1869, and by the time of Schliemann's death, it had risen to 100,000. According to the exhibition's assessment, the blend of classical antiquity and a modern Western city, combined with Mediterranean cheerfulness and vitality, made Greece's young capital exceptionally attractive. A vibrant academic and cultural life, along with a diverse press, were characteristic features of the city. Image from the building's rooftop terrace (Berlin exhibition). The rooftop terrace was not accessible to visitors in March 2022




 

If Iliou Melathron is an interesting site due to its connection with Heinrich Schliemann's history, the museum is also one of the world's best numismatic museums. The museum also displays Schliemann's collection of coins.

The Numismatic Museum's floor plan and the content of the first-floor exhibition (image and texts from the Italian-language brochure displayed in the museum, as other brochures had already depleted).
ILIOU MELATHRON - THE HISTORY OF MONEY
Iliou Melathron - Heinrich Schliemann's Residence, 2. The Birth and Spread of Currency, 3. "International" and "Common" Currency, 4. Ideology, 5. Coins and Archaeology, 6. The Museum's History and Its Donors."





The museum's collection is excellent and undoubtedly valuable, as indicated by vigilant guards following visitors. There are not many museums where one can gain such a comprehensive overview of ancient history. It is not a completely easy visit, the presentation of numismatic collections is demanding, but the Numismatic Museum of Athens succeeds in its challenging task, even though the building cannot be characterized as a modern museum.

The exhibition covers Athens' coins from 560 BC to 407 BC, starting with the first heraldic coins (wappenmünzen) issued in Athens. The coins visually narrate the passage of time and history from the era of tyrant Peisistratos and his sons to the tetradrachms of democracy, coins adorned with Athena Parthenos and owls. Owls were a symbol on Athenian coins until the first century BC. Around 40 BC, Roman denarii replaced Athenian tetradrachms.



 

 

Athenian coins in the museum's exhibition. At the bottom, Pericles' stater




 

The museum prominently highlights the patrons who have generously donated to it. Undeniably, the donated collections are exceptionally fine, and a substantial number has accumulated for the museum established as early as 1834.

One key donated collection is the Ioannis Dimitriou collection. The museum states that Ioannis Dimitriou, a merchant originally from Lemnos, who settled in Alexandria, Egypt, assembled a collection consisting of approximately 10,000 coins from the Ptolemies and Roman Egypt. The Dimitriou collection is one of the most valuable acquisitions of the Numismatic Museum of Athens and was presented to the Greek nation through an agreement signed at the donor's house in Ramli, Alexandria. Ioannis Svoronos had the privilege of receiving the donation. In his letter dated June 5, 1892, to the donor, he expresses, "--your name is eternal, of the late Zosimas brothers." The Zosimases were another significant set of donors.

 

On the upper floor of the museum, coins are presented more broadly in a cultural context. The practice of using coins as jewelry is known in Finland as well. The museum explains that many Roman coins, especially those made of precious metals, were used as amulets or ornaments after they were taken out of circulation due to the metal's value and their artistic and historical significance. These coins were either attached to necklaces and bracelets or pierced to add a suspension hook. The resulting jewelry was then used as a garment ornament or decoration. This tradition was also followed in Finland and continues to be in use.


The museum's collection of Byzantine coins is excellent. The impact of inflation on the value of the empire's coins can be studied from the display case

 

 "Heinrich Schliemann in Berlin: The Worlds of Schliemann. His Life. His Discoveries. His Legacy." 13.05.2022-06.11.2022.
James-Simon-Galerie

Location: Panepistimiou 12, Athina 106 71, Kreikka

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

National Archaeological Museum

Image
If someone interested in ancient Greek civilization were to visit only one museum in Athens besides the Acropolis, the destination could be the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. NAM is the largest museum in Greece and one of the most significant museums in the world dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Mediterranean and antiquity.   Archaeological Museum, March 2022. Photo OI  The museum was founded in 1886, and the building was inaugurated in 1889. Designed by the German architect Ernst Ziller, the structure follows the tradition of Berlin’s Altes Museum and the grand neoclassical museums built thereafter, as well as the neoclassical architecture of Athens created by the Hansen brothers. Ziller (1837–1923) was a major figure in late 19th-century Greek architecture, with over 500 buildings to his name. He also designed an elegant private residence for Heinrich Schliemann, which now houses the Numismatic Museum. Photo from the museum brochure The Archaeological Mus...
Read more

Roman Agora and The Tower of the Winds

Image
During the Roman era, a new commercial center emerged in Athens, known as the Roman Agora. It was built between 19 and 11 BCE, as the older Greek and Hellenistic era Agora had become filled with various activities. The Roman Agora was designated for commercial activities. The western entrance of the Roman Agora, the Athena Archegetis Gate, photographed in March 2022. The picture was taken from inside the Agora. Photo: OI An image on an information board showing the buildings in the area. The old Agora is in the foreground, and the Roman Agora is depicted in color. In the lower part of the information board is the Athena Archegetis Gate. To the right is the Church of Sotira near Pazaroporta, and in the background are the churches of Taxiarchs and Prophitis Ilias. (Chr. Hansen, 1833) The Roman Agora and other key ancient archaeological sites placed on the current map of Athens. The image is from an information board. A combined ticket provides access to these sites. The map also indicate...
Read more

The Benaki Museum of Islamic Art

Image
The Benaki Museum of Islamic Art presents the extensive collections of Antonis Benakis, who was born in Egypt and later moved to Greece. The museum is located relatively close to the Acropolis, and the Kerameikos neighborhood has other archaeological sites and a museum as well. Museum of Islamic Art. March 2022. Photo by OI   I visited the Museum of Islamic Art on Sunday. While transferring from Monastiraki metro station to the museum, one could walk through a vast and interesting antique market area. The museum building is an old neoclassical urban mansion, and the exhibition is spread across several floors. The historical layers of the area are illustrated by the preserved and exhibited part of Athens' old defense wall in the basement, built in preparation for the Macedonian invasion. Preserved defensive structures in the basement. Photo by OI The exhibition is aesthetically well-crafted. The collection appears to be somewhat fragmentary, as collector's collections often are....
Read more