The reasons why the Western Mediterranean, especially Carthage and Rome, resisted monetization relative to the Eastern Mediterranean are still unclear. We address this question by combining lead (Pb) and silver (Ag) isotope abundances in silver coinage from the Aegean, Magna Graecia, Carthage and Roman Republic. The clear relationships observed between ¹⁰⁹Ag/¹⁰⁷Ag and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb reflect the mixing of silver ores or silver objects with Pb metal used for cupellation. The combined analysis of Ag and Pb isotopes reveals important information about the technology of smelting. The Greek world extracted Ag and Pb from associated ores, whereas, on the Iberian Peninsula, Carthaginians and Republican‐era Romans applied Phoenician cupellation techniques and added exotic Pb to Pb‐poor Ag ores. Massive Ag recupellation is observed in Rome during the Second Punic War. After defeating the Carthaginians and the Macedonians in the late second century bce, the Romans brought together the efficient, millennium‐old techniques of silver extraction of the Phoenicians, who considered this metal a simple commodity, with the monetization of the economy introduced by the Greeks.

中文翻译：

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从商品到货币：古地中海地区银币的兴起（公元前六世纪至公元前一世纪）


相对于东地中海，西地中海地区，尤其是迦太基和罗马抵制货币化的原因仍不清楚。我们通过结合来自爱琴海、大希腊、迦太基和罗马共和国的银币中的铅 (Pb) 和银 (Ag) 同位素丰度来解决这个问题。 ¹⁰⁹ Ag/ ¹⁰⁷ Ag 和²⁰⁸ Pb/ ²⁰⁶ Pb 之间观察到的清晰关系反映了银矿石或银物体与用于铜化的 Pb 金属的混合。银和铅同位素的联合分析揭示了有关冶炼技术的重要信息。希腊世界从伴生矿石中提取银和铅，而在伊比利亚半岛，迦太基人和共和时代的罗马人应用腓尼基的铜矿技术，并向贫铅银矿石中添加外来铅。第二次布匿战争期间，罗马发生了大规模的农业撤退。在公元前二世纪末击败迦太基人和马其顿人后，罗马人将腓尼基人有效的、具有千年历史的白银提取技术与希腊人引入的经济货币化结合起来，腓尼基人认为这种金属是一种简单的商品。 。