Ballaios minted coins in his own name. His coins with the long legend ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΒΑΛΛΑΙΟΥ (BASILEOS BALLAIOY) were minted in
Rhizon while the coins with the short legend ΒΑΛΛΑΙΟΥ and the head of the king Ballaios which is of a different type and are older, were minted in Pharos. In some cases it is possible to observe that Ballaios' coins were over struck on the older Pharos specimens. The distribution of his coinage indicates that they were concentrated in the central Dalmatian area, while the large number of different dies that have been identified to date indicates a long minting of his coins. Numismatic evidence shows that Ballaios reigned for quite a lengthy time. His coins are also frequently found in
Italy, which confirms the trade contacts between both Adriatic coasts. On the obverse of the coins a bust of the king facing left to right is depicted, while on the reverse Artemis, advancing or standing, is represented with or without a torch, sometimes carrying one or two spears, surrounded by either the long or short legend. Most of these coins are bronze, some, and always those with the long legend are silver. Their weight, c. 3.5g corresponds top the Roman victorium. It is significant the Ballaios also had silver coins minted, which indicates his wealth and power, since elsewhere in Hellenistic
Dalmatia silver coinage is very rarely documented from Greek/Illyrian mints. The weight of the bronze coins of Ballaios is between 1.0 and 4.5g, while most of the documented specimens weigh between 2.0 and 2.5g. The relatively great impact of the coinage of Ballaios is also indicated by a large number of imitations of his coins. In several instances on some coins, an embossed circular Illyrian shield on one side and the flying horse
Pegasus, a mythological creature, and the letter "B", "A" and "L" on the other side, are depicted. Ballaios' coins were in circulation in the regions along both Adriatic coasts; along the eastern Adriatic, they have been found in a broad area extending from
Phoenice in Epirus to
Shkodër, in present-day
Albania, to Pharos, and along the western Adriatic from
Leuca and Locri to Aquileia, indicating trade activity of Ballaios that was no longer controlled by
Issa. As expected the coins of Ballaios were also found in the broad area of
Narona, the most important Greek/Illyrian emporium which maintained along with the river
Neretva, commercial and other contacts with the interior regions or
Illyricum. == See also ==