The rich historical and cultural heritage of Ephesus reflects the changing types and varieties of money throughout these periods. Throughout these periods, types of money used in Ephesus were closely linked to the city’s economic situation, trade relations and political context. Each period used currencies1 that reflected its own cultural and economic characteristics.

The Ephesus Museum and other museums exhibit many ancient coins found in Ephesus. Various types and types of money have been used in the city of Ephesus throughout history. Here are these coin types and their historical uses in the article of Chronological Order of the Ephesian Coins:
Ancient Greek Drachma — from the 6th century BC
When Ephesus was an important city-state in the Ancient Greek world, silver coins called drachmas were widely used. These coins were often decorated with symbols of the Temple of Artemis. There were two types of coins which were very common during this era. These were;
Electron Coins
The earliest known coins from Ephesus are Lydian and East Greek coins, minted around 640 BC. These coins were made of electron, an alloy of gold and silver, and were decorated with the legend or symbols of the founding of the city.
Silver Coins
Towards the end of the Archaic period, silver coins were also minted in Ephesus. These coins typically featured bee or deer motifs, as these animals were considered sacred to the city.
Daric of Persia — 547 BC–334 BC
During the Persian rule, the currencies of the Persian Empire were probably also used. The use of different currencies in this period reflects the commercial importance and cosmopolitan structure of Ephesus.
Alexander the Great’s Macedonian and Later Hellenistic Era in Ephesus — 4th Century BC — 2nd Century BC
During the Hellenistic period, which began after the conquests of Alexander the Great, Ephesus became an important trade center. During this period, the currencies of the Hellenistic kingdoms began to be used.
While this period took place, the Macedonian system was introduced. In this system, introduced by Alexander the Great and his generals, the main currency was still the drachma, weighing 4.3 grams. The tetradrachm weighs 16.1 grams.
During this period, Ephesus developed trade relations with Athens and other Greek city-states. For this reason, Greek coins such as silver drachmis and obols were widely used in Ephesus. The bee motif also continued on Ephesus’ own minted silver coins.
Roman Denarius — 1st century BC — 3rd century AD
When Ephesus became part of the Roman Empire, silver coins called denarius2 became common. Bearing the portraits of Roman Emperors, these coins reflected the economic power of Rome. Gold, silver, bronze and copper coins were common in this period. In particular, currencies such as silver denarius and gold aureus were used. During the Roman period, Ephesus was dependent on the economic decisions of Rome as it was located in the province of Asia.
Roman Aureus — 1st century BC — 4th century AD
The aureus, a gold coin, was used especially in trade and high-value transactions. In trading centers such as Ephesus, such gold coins were highly valued. During the Roman Empire, Ephesus became a major commercial center as the capital of the province of Asia. During this period, gold and silver coins such as denarius and aureus, the currency of the Roman Empire, were widely used. Roman coins were decorated with portraits of emperors and various mythological figures.
Byzantine Solidus — 4th century — 11th century AD
During the Byzantine Empire, gold coins called solidus3 became a symbol of economic stability for many years. Solidus also played an essential role in the commercial life of Ephesus during this period.
Byzantine Follis — 5th century — 11th century AD
During the Byzantine period, the coins used in Ephesus were generally made of bronze. During this period, coins such as solidus and follis, the currency of the Byzantine Empire, were used Follis was a smaller coin made of copper and was widely used in daily trade transactions. This type of coin was preferred by the people of Ephesus for their daily purchases.
Seljuk Dinar — 11th century — 13th century
During the Seljuk rule, gold and silver dinars were used in trade in Ephesus and the surrounding areas.
Ottoman Akce — 15th century — 19th century
Although Ephesus lost its importance during the Ottoman Empire, the Ottoman Akce was the main currency used in Ephesus and the surrounding areas.
Turkish Lira — 20th century — Present
With the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and the inclusion of Ephesus and its surroundings in the territory of Turkey, Turkish Lira started to be used in the region.
Which currency should I take with me when visiting Ephesus today?
When you visit Ephesus and the surrounding ruins, you can take many currencies used around the world with you. The shops and restaurants around Ephesus accept US Dollars, European Euros and various credit cards.
Want to learn more? Contact Ephesian Tour Guide Now!
Contact me to learn more about coins of the ancient and modern Ephesus. Also, feel free to give me a call to hire a professional, licensed, experienced tour guide for Ephesus and all other parts of Turkey! See you soon, Hasan Gülday.
- https://www.forumancientcoins.com/dannyjones/Greek%20Coin%20Books/Chronological%20Sequence%20of%20the%20Coins%20of%20Ephesus%20-%20Head.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOophFkR3g3_I9my1kkMHturHdAYpXOD7e0fIYZKcJPqU6J6JZu6- ↩︎
- https://www.google.com.tr/books/edition/Ancient_Coins_and_Medals/hJJkAAAAcAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Ephesus+Coins&pg=PA62&printsec=frontcover ↩︎
- https://www.google.com.tr/books/edition/The_Numismatic_Chronicle/8kpPMWW96yMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Ephesus+Coins&pg=RA1-PA335&printsec=frontcover ↩︎