Coinage of Cilician Armenia / by Paul Z. Bedoukian

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Coinage of Cilician Armenia

By PAUL Z. BEDOUKIAN

THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY

NEW YORK

I962

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED BY

THE AMERICAN NUMISMATIC SOCIETY

PRINTED IN GERMANY

AT J. J. AUGUSTIN - GLUCKSTADT

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NUMISMATIC NOTES AND MONOGRAPHS

Number 147

NUMISMATIC NOTES AND MONOGRAPHS

is devoted to essays and treatises on subjects relating

to coins, paper money, medals and decorations.

PUBLICATION COMMITTEE

ALFRED R. BELLINGER, Chairman

THEoDoRE V. BUTTREY, JR.

JoHN V. A. FINE

THOMAS O. MABBOTT

EDITORIAL STAFF

SAwYER MCA. MossER, Editor

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HowARD L. ADELSON, Associate Editor

7t

27Л i

TABLE OF CONTENTS ., J * „

FOREWORD VÜ

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS XÍ

SURVEY OF PUBLICATIONS ON ROUPENIAN COINS ХХП

MAP 2

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION •

THE COMING OF THE ARMENIANS TO CILICIA 3

THE BARONIAL PERIOD OF CILICIAN ARMENIA 5

THE ARMENIAN KINGDOM OF CILICIA 9

TRADE AND COMMERCE OF CILICIAN ARMENIA 25

ARMENIAN TERMS USED FOR VARIOUS COINS 43

THE COINAGE OF THE ROUPENIANS 50

DESIGN AND STYLE OF COINS 56

INSCRIPTIONS ON ROUPENIAN COINS 65

COINS FROM THE PERIOD OF PRINCES 67

THE GOLD COINS 68

COINS ISSUED BY THE KINGS 76

LEVON I 76

HETOUM I 82

LEVON II 86

HETOUM II 89

SMPAD 90

GOSDANTIN I 91

LEVON III 91

OSHIN 92

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LEVON IV 94

GUY LUSIGNAN (GOSDANTIN II) 95

GOSDANTIN III 95

LEVON THE USURPER 97

GOSDANTIN IV 98

LEVON V LUSIGNAN 99

FORGERIES 101

SURVEY OF COLLECTIONS OF ROUPENIAN COINS I03

V

vi Table of Contents

METROLOGY I08

SOME STATISTICS ИЗ

THE CORPUS I27

ARRANGEMENT OF THE CORPUS 128

PRINCES I29

PRINCE LEVON II 129

GOLD COINS I30

LEVON I 13°

HETOUM i (hetoum-zabel) 227

LEVON II 29О

HETOUM II 3*4

SMPAD З25

GOSDANTIN I 334

LEVON III ЗЗ6

OSHIN 353

LEVON IV 368

GUY LUSIGNAN (GOSDANTIN II) 380

GOSDANTIN III 382

LEVON THE USURPER 395

GOSDANTIN IV 399

LEVON V LUSIGNAN 40S

POST ROUPENIAN 4Ю

INDEX OF LEGENDS 411

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GENERAL INDEX 49°

FOREWORD

The establishment of an Armenian dynasty in Cilicia (1080–1375)

led to one of the most interesting periods in the long history of the

Armenian people. The wealth of material from the Cilician kingdom

and the historical data available from Armenian and European sources

encouraged the writer to attempt this work on the coinage of Cilician

Armenia.

The early numismatic studies of Brosset and Langlois are pri-

marily of historical interest since they contain a large number of errors.

Sibilian’s book, written in 1877, is fairly accurate, with the exception

of the section on the latter period of the kingdom; but it is limited in

scope, and being written in Armenian, is not comprehensible to most

numismatists. Since there is no adequate publication in a Western

language on the coinage of Cilician Armenia, the writer hopes that

the present work will serve a useful purpose.

In the past, published material consisted for the most part of

drawings of coins. Brosset's work contains 17 drawings, Langlois', 70,

Sibilian's, about 130, and Basmadjian's, about 50, all of the latter being

taken from Morgan's book on the History of the Armenian People.

The drawings are generally badly made and the inscriptions are often

not copied accurately. The present volume contains the photographs

of some 51o Roupenian coins, few of which have previously appeared

in print.

In order to have the corpus as complete and accurate as possible,

it was necessary to examine first hand all the coins in the important

collections whenever this was feasible. Fortunately, most of the

coins are gathered in a limited number of collections. This mission

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took the author to Europe in 1958, and some 4ooo rubbings were

obtained of coins in several collections within a period of three

weeks. The following method of obtaining clear rubbings was found

to be most practicable. Hard rubber sheets were attached to the

upper and lower jaws of a blank corporation seal, which was used

as a hand press. By folding aluminum foil and placing the coin in the

vii

viii Foreword

fold, it was possible to obtain over one hundred impressions per

hour. The impressions were very clear, photographed satisfactorily,

withstood repeated careful handling, and could be filed like stamps

in albums or kept in envelopes for reference purposes.

Most vital to the task of assembling the corpus was the acquisition

of rubbings of the collection of the Mekhitarists in Vienna. This col-

lection, consisting of nearly 2400 pieces, is by far the largest and most

valuable in the world. Gathered for the most part by Father Sibilian

about a hundred years ago, it includes many rarities and some unique

specimens. The author is particularly grateful to his Grace, Arch-

bishop Mesrob Habozian, the chief Abbot of the Mekhitarist order in

Vienna, for his generosity and assistance in making available the

entire collection so that rubbings could be made of the 24oo coins.

Without the inclusion of this important collection, this work would

have suffered greatly. The same encouraging cooperation was given

by the Mekhitarist order in Venice, where the chief Abbot, Arch-

bishop Oulouhojian, readily granted the writer permission to make

rubbings of their collection of nearly 600 pieces, among them some

unique coins. The writer is particularly grateful to Father Nerses

Nersessian for his active assistance in the preparation of the rubbings.

Special thanks are also due to M. Jean Babelon and M. Georges

Le Rider for their cooperation in getting aluminum impressions made

of the collection of Roupenian coins in the Bibliothèque Nationale.

Dr. John Walker and Mr. G. K. Jenkins of the British Museum

graciously permitted me on very short notice to examine their inter-

esting collection of coins of this period and to obtain rubbings.

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The writer was most fortunate in securing rubbings of three im-

portant collections in France: that of Mme. N. Kapamadji of the

Maison Florange in Paris, of M. Kamer Baghdadlian of the Galeries

Kamer in Cannes, and of M. Albert Achdjian of Galeries Chirvan in

Paris.

The collections of Armenian coins in the Near East seemed to be

beyond reach. But here again, willing hands undertook the arduous

task of preparing rubbings. Mr. Garabed Sanjian of Beirut, Lebanon,

provided rubbings of the large and valuable collection of the Mar-

dikian Museum of the Armenian National Cultural Society in Beirut.

Another important collection, that of Prof. Asbed Donabedian of

Beirut, was made available by the owner, who personally made the

Foreword ix

rubbings of his entire collection. The well-known coin dealer, M. Ar-

menak Poladian, of Beirut, sent paper rubbings of the hoards of

Levon and Hetoum-Zabel. Examination of the latter, in conjunction

with a hoard in the ANS collection, made it possible to establish a

chronological order of classification of the Hetoum-Zabel trams. Prof.

A. A. Ebeyan of Beirut submitted rubbings of the coins in his

collection for inclusion in the corpus. Father Berard Marthaler

kindly made arrangements with Miss Nakriman Olcay, curator of

non-Islamic coins at the Istanbul Archeological Museum, to have

impressions prepared of the Armenian coins in the collection of that

Inuseum.

The corpus includes the Roupenian coins in the Asiatic and the

Hermitage Museum in Leningrad. Special thanks are given to

Prof. A. A. Bykov and Prof. E. Dobrovoleskii for sending me

rubbings of the two collections. The existence of a unique copper

coin of Gosdantin III struck in Tarsus establishes the fact that

both silver and copper coins were struck in this mint. This coin

is in the Hermitage Museum. Prof. K. Ghafadarian and Mr. Kh. Mou-

shegian of the Numismatic Division of the State Museum in Soviet

Armenia supplied rubbings of the trams and double trams of Levon I

and of the trams of Hetoum-Zabel, numbering over one hundred pieces.

On this side of the Atlantic, the writer is indebted to the late

Kegham Kalajian" of New York for his ready willingness to permit

rubbings to be made of his entire collection, and to Mr. H. Kurdian

of Wichita, Kansas, who prepared and sent rubbings of his coins.

The corpus also includes the collection of Roupenian coins of the

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American Numismatic Society, as well as the writer's own collection.

It is estimated that the Roupenian coins in public and private

collections number less than 12,000. On this basis, the present corpus,

listing over Io,000 coins, covers over eighty per cent of the coins

above ground.

The arrangement of the corpus presented many problems. None of

the Roupenian coins carries the date of issue, and it was therefore

necessary to adopt an artificial method of classification. After much

experimentation, a uniform system of classification was chosen,

applicable to all of the coins of this period. The method consisted

* The major part of this collection is now in the State Historical Museum

of Erivan, Soviet Armenia.

X Foreword

essentially of listing each type of coin issued by a ruler and arranging

its variants in the order of completeness of the legend on the obverse.

Each obverse legend was accompanied by varieties of the legend on

the reverse. It is hoped that this simple classification will enable the

reader to locate any coin speedily and without much difficulty.

During the course of writing this book, it was frequently necessary

to seek the advice of various members of the staff of the American

Numismatic Society, and the author wishes to take this opportunity

of expressing his special appreciation to Dr. George C. Miles for

reading the first draft of the text and for his many very helpful

suggestions. In addition, all the Arabic inscriptions on the bilingual

coins of Hetoum were studied and classified by Dr. Miles. Sincere

thanks are also due to Mr. Sawyer McA. Mosser for his assistance

during the preparation of the text and corpus. On numerous occa-

sions, the author had to call on Mr. Henry Grunthal and Mr. William

L. Clark for advice, and the library work was greatly facilitated by

the whole-hearted cooperation of Mr. G. H. North and Mr. Richard

P. Breaden.

To Prof. Sirarpie Der Nersessian the writer wishes to express his

thanks for her careful reading of the manuscript and for the many

corrections and valuable suggestions which she made.

Finally, the author would like to express his gratitude to Mr.

R. W. Johnson, the photographer of the ANS, for obtaining such

clear photographs from the aluminum impressions, and of course to

J. J. Augustin for coping with this manuscript, with its numerous

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unusual field marks and legends.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND ABBREVIATIONS

AA–Collection of Mr. Albert Achdjian, Paris, France.

AD–Collection of Prof. Asbed Donabedian, Beirut, Lebanon.

ADONTZ–N. Adontz, “L'aïeul des Roubéniens,” Byzantion X (1935),

pp. I85–2ο3.

ADLER–J. G. C. Adler, Museum Cuficum Borgianum Velitris, Romae,

I782. Ist part. pp. 61–62, I59. Nummus Arabico-Armenus, Pl. XII, C.

ALISHAN–L. M. Alishan, Sissouan. Venice, 1885. (In Armenian).

[ |8& suis J.M >eck-il out-il Obv. Field mark. * >

2.79; 2.74; PB; 2.76; KK; AN(3); AA(3); NK(2);

BM(3); AD(3); MM(2); VM(8); *WM(18); BN(5);

HE(3); EBOI); JG(1).

*777 -%|8& 2L: |& Myech-lo\al-ll Obv. Field mark. .#S.

+x

2.90, (90%), PB; *WM(3); BM(1); NK(1).

+-

*778 – 8 & 3.15 &M Serb-lout-ll Obv. Field mark. ~~

+

/9II'll/TR/*

WM(2); *NK(1).

779 -also as 13.4°-loud on Field mark 4 -

WM(1); HE(2). *

*780 -

*BN(1). + 1-

&b//nhl/ /NIQUR/T &lläfl3

*L* c |2-5 |&al U.M &l= |ckeSi Ju-l

* Year 6 •. 2. Obv. Mint mark. 4-

794 y --→g ~

*l- 3 ź

2.89, (92%), PB; 2.90, KK; AN(1); *WM(5); VM.(3);

NK(1).

*795 Year 637 2 C- * - U-- ~~ Obv. Field mark. ~

CA:): *-

&l- 3

2.61; 2.76; 3.00, (90%); 2.83; 2.94, (94%), *PB; 2.80,

KK; WM(9); MM(1); VM(2); AN(1); AA(1); BM(1).

*796 Year 637 3 & 4-J-- ~~ Obv. Field mark. *>

c:}; ©

&l- 3

*VM(1).

797 Year 637 3 &- *- J-- ~~ Obv. Field mark. -->

c:}; * :



cx): *-

*- :

WM(3); NK(1); *AN(1).

CA: -/

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799 Year 637 2 C-4- U- -5. Obv. Field mark. *S

&l- 3 A.

VM(1).

230 Coinage of Cilician Armenia

HETOUM – KAIKHUSREW

&b/9/7AU /NIQUIR/7 &ll3/78

[Style of lettering intermediate between Kaikobad

and Kaikhusrew coins]

*8oo Year 637 * C-

BN(1).

*8II [Armenian epigraphy similar Obv. Field mark. -->

to 805 of year 637] * *

3 & 2 J-- **

cx):

*l- 3

*VM(2).

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812 Year 639 ; :- U-- " -> Obv. Field mark. --

*l- > •

3.00, (90%), PB.

813 Year 639 * c :- J-- ~~ Obv. Field mark. -->

cy): 4-

&l- o

VM(1).

232 Coinage of Cilician Armenia

&b//nhl/ /NIQUIR/T &lläflá

*814 Year 640 * - U-- " -> Obv. Field mark.

coax!

&l- 3

AN(1); *HE(4); BM(2); AA(2).

*815 Year 640

*l- 3

*WM(9); AN(1); WM(1); NK(1).

816 Year 640

co-> -j- .

*:::- 3

VM(1).

*82I Year 64I 3 -> *- ! - 2 Obv. Field mark. 3 +

4 -: ~

*l- 3 •

VM(1); MM(1); *AD(1); BN(1).

822 Year 641 3 -> * *

&l.--> X-

WM(2).

*823 Year 641 3 *- :- J-- ~~ Obv. Field mark. -->

*l- 3 &-> * *

*l- 3

*AD(1).

&b//nhl/ /NIQUIR/l/ All&/18

*824 Year 642 3 #1 - J-- ~~ Obv. Field mark. -->

*l- >

*WM(2); MM(1); BN(2).



*827 Year 642 3 & 4-J-- ~~ Obv. Field mark. -->

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*BM(1); BN(1).

234 Coinage of Cilician Armenia

&b//nhl/ /NIQUIR/m. All&/18

*828 Year 643 3 ->

3L-8] *

*VM(1).

HETOUM - KAIKHUSREW

BILINGUAL HALF TRAMS

&b//nhl/ /NIQUIR/T &ll3/18

*839 |cal, 541 &l= |cke's oual-l. Obv. Field mark. -->

2: & 2 - *

J-- */->

1.36, PB; VM(2); *HK(1); BN(3); NB(1).

*840 |cal U.M &L= ckeS out- Obv. Field mark. -->

•lis & 3. * * *

J--- *, *

*AA(1); BN(1).

84I |c.'', 'All cl: ckeS out-l. Obv. Field mark. 24-

* c > --5 -- e.

J-- "A"

AD(1).

HETOUM–ZABEL

TRAMS

Cross with star—lion holding cross

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till/'07/1/2/9'—hh'.", Ilê b

*842 &b//mN/ Pu'uhm &ll6m8 •!-4-

2.88 (90%); 3.oo (95%), PB; *MM(1).

236 Coinage of Cilician Armenia

843 &b//mNU All?AIMT All306 •}-k-

2.89 (90%, PB.

844 &b//U Pll'NIR/T &llêmó -i-4-

2.94, PB.

Will/P/11/lh/2-hh'.", l8 bi

*845 &b//l/U Pll%ll R/T &llê/18 [5] +–*-

2.94 (94%); 3.06 (95%), PB; WM(3); PH(I); AP(2);

VM(I); "AN(I); MM(1).

846 &b//nhl/ /NIQUR/T All&mö [b] +!—*-

".

3.oo; 2.90; 2.87 (95%), PB; WM(2); MM(1).

847 &b/mN/ Pu'uhm &uémé [b] +–*- :bmRU (AN).

WM(1); AP(1); PH(I); AN(1).

848 &b//nhl/ /l/NIR/T &ll3/18 [5] ++--

PH(2); AP(2); WM(1); VM(1); JG(2).

849 &b//l/U Pll'llMP Allêmö [k] ++--

3.05, PB; AA(1).

850 &b//mNU All'NIR/T &ll3/18 [b] +!--

AN(1); PH(I); AA(1); IS(1).

851 &b//lhu /NIQUR/m 2/188 •#—%-

2.78, PB.

852 &b/9/lhu /NI'll R/T &ll60 +–*-

AP(2).

853 &b///l/ /NIQUR/T &llêm ++-k- Rev. Field mark C

PB(1); WM(3); NK(1); PH(1).

854 &b/9/lhu /NIQUR/T &ll60 -i-k- Rev. Letter 4 with or

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without dot.

WM(1); AP(1); NK(1).

855 &b/mNU Pu'uhm &uðm 44-x-

WM(1).

* The letters in parenthesis are the last letters on the obverse.

Hetoum I 237

856 &b//mN/ /NIQUR/T &IIB/ -#—k- Rev. &b/P/1U and

&b/, /l/U".

3.02 (91%); 2.98, PB.

856a 3b//lhu /NIQUR/T 2U8 [5] ++-- Rev. With C) and

sometimes dot under

<

.301; 2.90; 2.96; 3.00; 3.00; 2.56, PB, AP(3); WM(I);

VM(1); IS(2).

856b &b//nhl/ /NIQUIR/T &ll3 •+-K-

3.10, PB.

856c &b//nhl/ /NIQUR/T &llê •++-K-

MM(1); BN(1).

856d &b//nhl/ /NIQU/n 4U. *—k-

3.03; 3.04; 2.89, PB, PB(1); AP(1); AN(1); MM(1).

'ill/I'l/lh/2-hR), llā

*857 &b/mRU ou'llMr Allān; +#—-

2.94 (92%); 2.64 (90%), PB; *KK(1); AN(1).

'ill//.7/k/.-P. L. Llën h

*858 &b//nhl/ /NIQUR/m 2/8/ ++–*- Rev. &b//l/ with dot

over 4. Dot under

second 4.

2.98; 2.92, *PB, AP(2).

859 &b//mNU Pll'NIR/m 2/18/ ++-*- Rev. No dots on 4.

MM(1).

860 &b//nhl/ /NIQUIR/T &ll3 ++--

AN(1); MM(1).

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'ill/’010R/2-hl, U.8 k

861 &b//lhu /NIQU//m 2/18/18 ++--- Rev. L.

AP(1).

238 Coinage of Cilician Armenia

*862 &b//nhl/ /l/QUR/T &llêmö ++--- Rev. Dot.

2.83 (90%), PB; *WM(1).

Will// ?/ R/-hull, 8 b

863 &b//nhl/ /NIQUIR/T &ll308 ++--

AP(2); PH(I); AD(2); BM(1); AA(1).

Will//.7/Th/2-hl, lê b

*864 &b/mNU Pu'uhm &ll68 ++--

2.95, *PB.

*865 &b//nhl/ Pll'NIR/m 2/88 ++-'-

*BN(1).

till/I'l/m/,—hh'.", lê b

866 &b//mh/7”/NI'll R/T &ll6/18 ++-- Rev. U

2.92, PB; WM(1); BM(1); PH(I).

867 &b/mRU pu%uhm &uën --->|- Rev. Pll%ll/7”, U

PH(I).

*868 &bennu Pu'uhm &uén it—- Rev. Pu'um, o

*AD(1).

869 &b/mNU Pll'UMr &ll&f 44–'- Rev. U

• &b/9/1U".

2.99; 3.04, PB.

870 &benhir Pu'ulum :u6 +-- Rev. o

2.87, PB, AP(1).

871 &b//NU Pll'UM"