Ioannis N. Svoronos
Ioannis N. Svoronos (April 15/27, 1863 – August 25/September 7, 1922) was a distinguished Greek numismatist and archaeologist of the 19th century, with significant contributions to the discovery and study of ancient numismatics.
He was born on the island of Mykonos on April 15, 1863. After completing his secondary education, he enrolled in the Law School of the University of Athens but abandoned his legal studies to devote himself to numismatics and later to archaeology. He studied numismatics with a government scholarship at the universities of Berlin, London, and Paris (1883–1887).
In 1890, he published his first work, Numismatique de la Crete ancienne, which was awarded by the French Academy, leading to his appointment to assist in the compilation of the Corpus numorum. Upon his return to Greece, he was appointed numismatist at the Numismatic Museum of Athens, where he worked until his death. In 1899, he assumed the position of director of the Numismatic Museum.
In 1918, he was elected Professor of Numismatics, Metrology, and Sigillography at the University of Athens, a position he held until 1920. At the same time, he served as president of the State Archaeological Council.
Ioannis Svoronos founded and directed the Journal International d’Archéologie Numismatique, contributing significantly to the development of numismatics and archaeology. He was awarded by the French Academy of Inscriptions and received the gold medal of the Royal Numismatic Society of London in 1914. In addition, in 1921 he was honored with the Huntington Medal Award by the American Numismatic Society.
He passed away in Athens on August 25, 1922 (September 7 in the old calendar), leaving behind a rich scientific legacy in the fields of numismatics and archaeology.
Selected Works:
Der athenische Volkskalender [offprint] / by J.N. Svoronos. Athens: Barth und von Hirst, 1899. (German)
Les Nouveaux timbres-poste de l'ile de Crete et le modeles de monnaies antiques. La Canee: Imprimerie du Gouvernement Cretois, 1905. (French)
Numismatique de la Crete ancienne: accompagnee de l'histoire, la geographie et la mythologie de l'ile / Awarded by the French Academy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres and published with the support of the Assembly of Cretans, Macon: Protat Frères Printing, 1890. (French)
Byzantine Numismatic Issues: with 70 Illustrations / by Ioannis N. Svoronos. Athens: Barth and von Hirst Publishers, 1899.
Interpretation of the Monuments of the Eleusinian Mystical Circle: and Topography of Eleusis and Athens / by Ioannis N. Svoronos.
Ioannis N. Svoronos, Once Again on the Table of Nannios [offprint]. Athens: Beck and Barth.
Coins [offprint]: A) Alexandrian Astronomical Coins. B) Apollonia in Pontus and the Island of Peparethos / by I.N. Svoronos. Athens: Barth and von Hirst, [1899].
Lycurgus and Ambrosia [offprint] / by I.N. Svoronos, Athens: Barth and von Hirst, 1898.
On the Significance of the Coin Types of the Ancients. Svoronos, Ioannis N., [1895].
On the Tickets of the Ancients / by I.N. Svoronos. Athens: [Barth and Hirst], [1898].
Which Island is the "Syrie" of Homer? (Continuation and conclusion) / by I.N. Svoronos. Athens: Barth and von Hirst, [1899].
Light on the Archaeological Scandals / by Ioannis N. Svoronos. Athens: Perris Brothers Printing, 1896.
Gold Coins and Images of the Queens of Egypt [offprint] / by I.N. Svoronos. Athens: Barth and von Hirst, [1899].
Σχόλια