A Golden Alliance Unearthed: Byzantine Coins Reveal Pecheneg Ties in Taman

Byzantine Coins Reveal Pecheneg Role in 10th-Century Diplomacy In 2019, a clay pot filled with 28 Byzantine gold coins was unearthed in southern Russia’s Taman Peninsula. New analysis reveals the hoard likely belonged to the Pechenegs—steppe warriors rewarded by Byzantium for their military alliance.

In 2019, archaeologists uncovered a clay vessel in Russia’s Taman Peninsula, containing 28 gold Byzantine coins dating from the reigns of Emperors Nikephoros II Phokas (963–969) and John I Tzimiskes (969–976). Found near the village of Dinskoy, the hoard is now believed to have belonged to the Pechenegs—nomadic warriors who supported Byzantium in its northern campaigns.

The coins are all of the “nomisma tetarteron” type—lighter than standard gold coins yet used by the empire to pay allies, not citizens. Many show wear, graffiti, and clipped edges, indicating circulation in non-Byzantine contexts. Lacking official mint marks, the coins appear to represent cumulative payments rather than a single imperial issue.

This discovery reshapes our understanding of Taman's medieval role—not just as a Greek or Scythian zone, but also as a contact point in Byzantine–Turkic diplomacy. It offers rare evidence of how empire, warfare, and gold intersected along the Black Sea frontier.