About the Workshop
The Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies (WIHS) welcomes scholars, students, and members of the academic community to Hellenistic Dynasties through Their Coinage, a one-day workshop dedicated to exploring the political, cultural, and historical significance of ancient coinage.
Far more than instruments of economic exchange, ancient coins provide important evidence for understanding the Hellenistic world. Their portraits, inscriptions, symbols, and imagery offer insights into how rulers represented their authority, constructed dynastic identities, and communicated political messages across diverse communities. Numismatic evidence can also illuminate historical questions that are only partially addressed by surviving literary sources.
Bringing together historical interpretation and practical numismatic research, the workshop combines scholarly presentations on Hellenistic and neighbouring dynasties with an interactive session devoted to the study and cataloguing of ancient coins. The morning program includes a special installment of the Seleukid Lecture Series, while the afternoon provides participants with an opportunity to work collaboratively with material from the Edgar W. Pyke Coin Collection.
Event at a Glance
Date: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Venue: Special Collections and Archives Lab, basement of Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo
Morning Program: Scholarly presentations offered in a hybrid format, with both in-person and online participation.
Afternoon Program: In-person practical workshop on the study and cataloguing of Hellenistic coins.
Registration: Please contact Dr. Altay Coşkun by November 11, 2026.
Full Program: The complete workshop program is available for download below.
Workshop Program
Morning Research Presentations
9:00–10:45 a.m.
Hybrid participation: in person and online
The morning session brings together three presentations examining how coinage can illuminate dynastic representation, political authority, and the historical relationships between Hellenistic kingdoms and their neighbours.
The Elephant in the Room: Elephants on the Coins of Seleucus I
Dr. Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides
Macquarie University, Sydney
This presentation explores the significance of elephants on the coinage of Seleucus I, examining their political and symbolic meanings in the context of Seleukid royal representation. Particular attention is given to the relationship between numismatic imagery, Babylonian traditions, and the construction of dynastic authority.
Download Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides's Presentation Abstract (PDF)
Domestic and Interstate Aspects of the Representation of the Ariobarzanid Dynasty
Dr. Hendrikus van Wijlick
Peking University
WIHS Visiting Scholar
Focusing on the Ariobarzanid dynasty of Cappadocia, this presentation considers how royal coinage served as a means of communicating political legitimacy and dynastic identity. It examines the relationship between domestic political representation and the dynasty's position within a wider network of interstate relationships.
Download Hendrikus van Wijlick's Presentation Abstract (PDF)
The Monogrammatic Coinage from the Bosporus in the Era of Queen Dynamis
Dr. Altay Coşkun
University of Waterloo
This presentation investigates the monogrammatic coinage of the Bosporan Kingdom during the era of Queen Dynamis. Through the examination of numismatic evidence, it considers questions of royal attribution, dynastic continuity, and political change during the transition from Mithradatid to Aspurgian rule.
Download Altay Coşkun's Presentation Abstract (PDF)
Tea and coffee break (10:45 to 11:00)
Featured Seleukid Lecture
11:00 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
Hybrid participation: in person and online
Highlights from the Revised and Expanded Second Edition of Seleucid Coins, Part I
Oliver Hoover, MA
American Numismatic Society
As part of the Seleukid Lecture Series, Oliver Hoover will present highlights from the revised and expanded second edition of Seleucid Coins, Part I.
The lecture introduces participants to developments in the study and classification of Seleukid coinage, demonstrating the importance of numismatic catalogues as resources for historical research.
Presentation abstract: To be added when available.
Lunch break (12:45 to 2:00)
Afternoon Practical Workshop
Creating Catalogue Entries of Hellenistic Coins
2:00–4:45 p.m.
In-person participation only
The afternoon workshop provides an opportunity for participants to engage directly with ancient numismatic material from the Edgar W. Pyke Coin Collection.
Through introductory presentations, collaborative coin study, and student-led discussions, participants will explore approaches to identifying, documenting, and interpreting Hellenistic coinage. Particular attention will be given to the use of printed and digital numismatic resources in the preparation of scholarly catalogue entries.
2:00–2:45 p.m. | Preparatory Lectures
Introduction to the Edgar W. Pyke Coin Collection and the use of printed and digital numismatic resources.
Contributors include J. Blackwell, A. Coşkun, O. Hoover, Wendy Liu, and H. van Wijlick.
2:45–4:00 p.m. | Coin Study in Small Teams
Participants will work in small teams to examine selected Hellenistic coins, identify relevant features, consult numismatic reference materials, and develop catalogue entries.
A tea and coffee break is included.
4:00–4:45 p.m. | Student Presentations and Feedback
Student groups will present their findings and receive feedback on their identification, interpretation, and cataloguing work.
Reverse of an ancient Parthian silver coin depicting a seated archer surrounded by Greek inscriptions. Edgar W. Pyke Coin Collection, no. 191.
Obverse of an ancient Parthian silver coin depicting a bearded royal figure wearing a diadem, shown in profile. Edgar W. Pyke Coin Collection, no. 191.
Reverse of an ancient Macedonian silver coin depicting a horse and rider, with Greek lettering above. Edgar W. Pyke Coin Collection, no. 164.
Obverse of an ancient Macedonian silver coin depicting a male head in profile wearing a laurel wreath. Edgar W. Pyke Coin Collection, no. 164.
Featured Numismatic Material
Ancient coins are more than instruments of exchange: they are historical documents that preserve portraits, inscriptions, symbols, and expressions of political authority. Their imagery offers valuable insights into how ancient rulers represented themselves, communicated their legitimacy, and established dynastic identities.
The four images above present two examples of ancient coinage, illustrating the diversity of royal imagery and the ways in which coins can contribute to our understanding of the political and cultural history of the Hellenistic world and its neighbouring kingdoms.
Comparing Dynastic Traditions
Considered together, these examples demonstrate how coinage can illuminate both continuity and change in ancient political representation. Although produced within different dynastic contexts, Parthian and Macedonian coins reveal how rulers used visual imagery to articulate authority, express political identity, and communicate with their subjects.
Such comparisons reflect a central theme of Hellenistic Dynasties through Their Coinage: the value of numismatic evidence for reconstructing the histories of ancient kingdoms and understanding the relationships between political power, cultural exchange, and royal self-representation.
Organization and Collaboration
Hellenistic Dynasties through Their Coinage is a workshop of the Waterloo Institute for Hellenistic Studies (WIHS), organized in collaboration with the following academic partners:
- Special Collections and Archives, University of Waterloo
- Edgar W. Pyke Coin Project, University of Waterloo
- Seleukid Lecture Series
- Classical Studies Area School of Social, Political and Historical Research, University of Waterloo
The workshop brings together specialists in ancient history and numismatics, alongside students and researchers interested in the historical study of Hellenistic coinage.
Registration and Contact
Scholars, students, and interested members of the academic community are welcome to attend.
The morning presentations will be offered in a hybrid format, allowing participation both in person and online. The afternoon practical workshop will take place in person at the University of Waterloo.
Please register by November 11, 2026.
For registration and inquiries, please contact:
Dr. Altay Coşkun
Director, Waterloo Institute for
Hellenistic Studies
University of Waterloo
altay.coskun@uwaterloo.ca
Please indicate whether you intend to attend the morning presentations, the afternoon practical workshop, or both.