The coins of Central Building A at Anemurium

Located in the center of Anemurium, one of the port cities of the Cilicia Trakheia Region, the structure known as “Central Building A” due to its complex use for various purposes, presents a characteristic example of the residential-workshop function buildings of the city from the Late Roman and Early Byzantine periods. The documentation of residential-workshop type buildings with similar plan features in other areas of the city indicates that production and daily life were integrated in the same regions of Anemurium. Archaeological and numismatic data documented by excavations in 2023 show that the building was built in the late 4th century CE and remained in use until at least the late 7th century CE. The coins uncovered during the excavations play a crucial role in clarifying both the construction process and the phases of use of the building. In addition, the abundance of examples from the reigns of Heraclius and Constans II suggests that the building’s abandonment may have been directly related to the Sasanian and Arab raids that affected the Eastern Mediterranean. In conclusion, the numismatic findings from Central Building A are highly significant not only for presenting information about the building’s phases of use but also for providing new data on the impact of the Sasanian and Arab raids that were influential in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 7th century CE on Cilicia and Anemurium.