Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, This conference does not seek to analyse wars and the various factors triggering them; instead, it aims to show how the radical changes introduced by wars or conflicts on political systems and alliances, or the divisions between states have affected monetary developments. The history shows that conflict or war periods are particularly related to radical changes in monetary systems and policies. Over the centuries, we find various examples of such developments, materialised in changes in the monetary system or introduction of temporary fiscal policies, additional quantity of money 1/2  BIS central bankers' speeches  issued before the start and during a war, massive circulation of a monetary type in areas far away from their place of origin, higher number of hoards found in a conflict zone or massive usage of the currency of allied countries. Numerous phenomena testify to the constant presence of a relationship throughout epochs, between military conflicts on the one hand and the role of money in wartime on the other. To better reflect the relationship between conflicts or war and money, we have decided for the conference proceedings to follow a chronological order of presentations, starting from antiquity, to middle ages and the modern history of the XX century. Our guests are distinguished professors, scholars, historians, and representatives from central bank museums who responded to our invitation to research and lecture on this topic.
The views and conclusions expressed in the presentations are of the authors and not necessarily of the respective institutions or the Bank of Albania. Wishing success to the conference, I hope that all the participants will benefit from the interesting presentations that will be shared with the audience today. I have now the pleasure to invite our keynote speaker, Prof. Olivier Picard, former Director of the French Archaeological School in Athens, Professor at the Sorbonne University, Member of the “Académie des Inscriptions et Belles – Lettre” (Institute of France), who will hold a presentation on “Minting of coins in Illyria in wartime”. Thank you! 2/2  BIS central bankers' speeches