Mytilene, Lampsakos, Chios and the Financing of the Spartan Fleet (406-404)

The unique electrum stater of Mytilene in the British Museum is usually thought to be imitating Kyzikene electrum and to belong to the context of the Mytilenaean revolt of 428/7. However, it should instead be compared to certain issues of electrum staters from Lampsakos and Chios. Hoard evidence in the case of Lampsakos and detailed knowledge of the series in the case of Chios mean that we can date these issues (and therefore that of Mytilene) to the last decade of the 5th century. A unique silver tetradrachm of Chios and an associated issue of drachms which came to light in 2001 can also be associated with the Chian issue of electrum staters. Several passages of Xenophon provide likely contexts from 406/5 for all five issues and illustrate how Spartan efforts to finance their fleet grew in sophistication over the course of the Ionian War.