26 events with tag "silver"
900 BC
ID: 5317
Rio Tinto mining begins - Tartessians extract copper and silver from massive sulfide deposits, creating first large-scale mining operation in Iberia
ID: 5317
600 BC
ID: 5318
Phoenicians expand Rio Tinto operations - introduce cupellation for silver extraction, export metals throughout Mediterranean
ID: 5318
500 BC
ID: 5319
Laurion silver strike saves Athens - rich vein discovered, Themistocles convinces assembly to build 200 warships instead of distributing windfall
ID: 5319
483 BC
ID: 5320
Laurion silver funds Athenian fleet - 100 talents annually from mines employing 20,000 slaves, decisive for Salamis victory
ID: 5320
480 BC
ID: 5351
Laurion silver victories - Athenian fleet built with mining profits defeats Persians at Salamis, saving Greek independence
ID: 5351
359 BC
ID: 5910
Philip of Macedon consults oracle - told 'fight with silver spears and you will conquer everything,' begins bribing Greek cities
ID: 5910
227 BC
ID: 5321
Carthaginians develop Cartagena silver mines - Hasdrubal founds New Carthage near richest silver deposits in Mediterranean, 40,000 slaves at peak
ID: 5321
218 BC
ID: 5322
Spanish silver funds Hannibal's war - Cartagena mines produce 300 pounds silver daily, financing invasion of Italy
ID: 5322
210 BC
ID: 5355
Romans capture Syracuse silver mines - Sicily becomes major silver source after conquest, funds continued war effort
ID: 5355
206 BC
ID: 5323
Scipio captures Cartagena mines - Romans seize Spanish silver mines, immediately restart production with 40,000 workers
ID: 5323
195 BC
ID: 5324
Rome reorganizes Spanish mining - establishes state monopoly, mines produce 25,000 drachmas daily according to Polybius
ID: 5324
180
ID: 5363
Marcus Aurelius debases coinage - silver mines exhausted, reduces silver content of denarius to 75%, inflation begins
ID: 5363
650
ID: 5836
Melle silver mines begin production - Carolingian Francia's main silver source, enables Charlemagne's later monetary reforms
ID: 5836
750
ID: 5837
Silver shortage across Europe - Roman mines exhausted, coins increasingly debased, barter economy expands
ID: 5837
968
ID: 5838
Rammelsberg silver discovered at Goslar - massive silver vein found in Harz Mountains, transforms Ottonian economy
ID: 5838
970
ID: 5839
Otto I develops Rammelsberg mines - imperial control of silver enables strong central government, funds Italian campaigns
ID: 5839
973
ID: 5842
Edgar reforms English coinage - standardizes silver penny weight using new German silver, establishes 70+ mints
ID: 5842
975
ID: 5840
German silver floods Europe - Rammelsberg output triggers economic revival, new coinages, expanded trade networks
ID: 5840
980
ID: 5841
Islamic silver reaches Europe via Vikings - millions of Arabic dirhams flow through Russia/Scandinavia from Central Asian mines
ID: 5841
998
ID: 5843
Rammelsberg funds Otto III's Roman renovatio - silver wealth enables imperial ambitions, 'renewal of Roman Empire'
ID: 5843
1168
ID: 5844
Freiberg silver discovered in Saxony - 'First silver rush', town founded, becomes Europe's largest silver source
ID: 5844
1170
ID: 5848
First European 'price revolution' - massive silver influx from German mines causes widespread inflation, social upheaval
ID: 5848
1180
ID: 5845
Mining innovations at Freiberg - water-wheel drainage systems enable deeper mining, output surpasses Rammelsberg
ID: 5845
1260
ID: 5846
Kutná Hora silver discovered in Bohemia - becomes Europe's richest silver source, funds Bohemian kingdom's power
ID: 5846
1300
ID: 5847
Prague groschen introduced - Kutná Hora silver enables stable international currency, dominates Central European trade
ID: 5847
2020
ID: 3344
Antimicrobial surfaces using copper and silver nanoparticles become widespread
ID: 3344