A team of archaeologists from the University of Michigan, led by Christopher Ratté, has uncovered a significant hoard of Persian gold coins in the ancient city of Notion, located in western Turkey. This discovery, which includes coins believed to have been used to pay mercenary troops, offers valuable insights into the Persian Empire's influence and the region's tumultuous history during the fifth century BC. Discovery of the Hoard The find was made during an excavation of a large courtyard house at the center of Notion, a city with a history dating back to the Hellenistic period (3rd–1st century BC). However, evidence suggests that the area was inhabited much earlier, as indicated by the fragments of pottery and the buried structure where the coins were found. In July 2023, archaeologists uncovered a small pot containing the coins beneath the courtyard, in what appeared to be a secure location, that was never recovered by its owner. The hoard consists of Persian darics, a type of gold coin minted during the reign of the Achaemenid Empire, which controlled a vast expanse of territory from the late sixth century BC until its conquest by Alexander the Great in 330 BC The coins feature the image of a kneeling archer, a characteristic design of the Persian daric, and were likely minted in Sardis, about 60 miles northeast of Notion. According to Ratté, who is a professor of classical studies and curator of the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, the hoard dates to the fifth century BC, a period marked by significant military and political upheaval in the region. Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsHistory & ArchaeologyRead Later