History from Coins: The Ancient Western Indian Ocean Ports

10/05/2026

When I think about coins from Roman Berenike and Myos Hormos, I don’t see them simply as “money.” 🪙⚓

In Berenike and Myos Hormos, coins were more than just currency. They must have circulated through workshops, markets, harbor spaces — and perhaps even taverns — as well as ritual contexts.

A haircut, a meal, a small purchase at the quay… everyday life in these Red Sea ports depended on constant small-scale transactions.

In my new article 📖, “Everyday transactions in transit: contextualizing coins in the ports of Berenike and Myos Hormos”,
I explore what coin finds can tell us about ordinary people, daily transactions, and life in transit along the Red Sea trade routes.

🔗 Read the article:
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-roman-archaeology/article/everyday-transactions-in-transit-contextualizing-coins-in-the-ports-of-berenike-and-myos-hormos/7B2DFED328126B2AB4E97797128A0B37

Everyday transactions in transit: Contextualizing coins in the ports of Berenike and Myos Hormos - Volume 38 Issue 2

18/03/2025

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of delivering a talk about Berenike and the projects we're conducting there (Centrum Archeologii Śródziemnomorskiej UW) during the First Festival of Africa and the Middle East (Festiwal Afryki i Bliskiego Wschodu ). The event was organized by the African-Middle Eastern Students Scientific Association (Afrykańsko-Bliskowschodnie Koło Naukowe) at the Institute of the Middle and Far East, Jagiellonian University. It was a wonderful event filled with engaging discussions, presentations, dance classes, and delicious food! I am truly grateful for the chance to contribute. A sincere thank you to the organizers and Maciej Kurcz for the invitation and warm reception!

11/03/2025

Did you know that Sopara issued its own coins? The Regiospecific coin types of Sopara were introduced during the reign of Vasisthiputra Siri Pulamavi (c. 85–120/125 CE), under whom the Satavahana Empire reached its peak in both power and territorial extent. The discovery of these coins provides tangible evidence of the city's prosperity during the second century CE, further reinforced by the construction of the stupa.

These coins are distinguished by a three-arched hill on the obverse, flanked by a battle-axe—the attribute of Parashurama, the mythical creator of Sopara—positioned either to the left or right. A surrounding legend encircles this central motif, while the reverse features the Ujjain symbol.

Photo: Regiospecific coin of Sopara found by The Nala Sopara Surface Survey Project

11/03/2025

For those unfamiliar with the site of Sopara: The ancient port town is located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, Palghar district of Maharashtra, within the modern towns of Nala Sopara, Gas, and Nirmal. It played a crucial role in maritime trade across various historical periods, supplying luxury goods to different regions of the western Indian Ocean. While historical sources—from ancient and medieval texts to Portuguese accounts—attest to its commercial significance, the archaeological site remains largely understudied, and its political and cultural history is still not well understood.

If you would like to learn more about the results of our research at the site—The Nala Sopara Surface Survey Project, a joint initiative of the of Warsaw and the Numismatic, Historical, and Cultural Research Foundation—check out:

Smagur, E., Abbas, R., Toraskar, S., and A. Romanowski (2023). "Sopara Port Site Typology and the Link with Maritime Trade," in B. Branicevic and M. N. Pareja (eds.), Imperial Horizons of the Silk Roads (Archaeopress).
Abbas, R., Toraskar, S., Exambekar, S., Smagur, E., Shobha, V., and A. Romanowski (2023). "Geoarchaeological Investigations in and Around the Ancient Port Site of Nalasopara: A Preliminary Study," Journal of Archaeological Studies in India, 3(1).
Toraskar, S., Abbas, R., Smagur, E., and A. Romanowski (2023). "Dynamics in the Religious Landscape: Imprints from the Relics of Sopara," Journal of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai, 91.

11/03/2025

On the 24th of January, I had the pleasure of giving a talk during "Days of Antiquity" (Dni Antyku), an event organized by the Koło Archeologii Starożytności of the Wydział Nauk Historycznych UMK (Faculty of History at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń). I spoke about our research on the ancient Indian Ocean port of Sopara, conducted in collaboration with Numismatic, Historical, and Cultural Research Foundation.

It was a fantastic meeting! Many thanks to the organizers for their warm welcome and for having me!