|
Date: |
|
Description: | The bulk of the hoard is fused in a lump which may have assumed the shape of a purse in which the coins were originally concealed. At the time of discovery, there was reported to be a layer of darkish earth which might have been the remains of decayed leather. The weight of this lump is 1,150gm, which would suggest that it consists of approximately 600 coins. In addition, 62 coins have become separated from the lump at some stage; some of these are now single, and some remain in small (2-13 coins) fused groups. This might suggest that the size of the hoard is closer to 700, although the weight of corrosion products needs to be taken into account. All the coins that can be identified or part-identified appear to be Constantinian issues of the period, c. AD 320-340; whilst some are quite badly corroded, many seem to have been relatively fresh when deposited.Summary of the loose coins:Types of AD 321-4: DOMINORVM NOSTRORVM CAESS VOT V 1 BEATA TRANQVILLITAS VOTIS XX 1 CAESARVM NOSTRORVM VOT X 1Type of AD 324-9: PROVIDENTIAE AVGG 1 Types of AD 330-5: GLORIA EXERCITVS (2 standards) 13 She-wolf and twins 5 Victory on prow 4Type of AD 335-40: GLORIA EXERCITVS (1 standards) 2 Illegible reverse 34The group covers the later part of the reign of Constantine the Great (AD 306-37) the first emperor to adopt Christianity. All are of a base metal denomination commonly known as the nummus. Some coins of the AD 320s are present and their reverses are mainly concerned with showing the emperor's oaths of office. The majority of the legible coins are of the AD 330s and consist of reverse designs of two soldiers with one or two legionary standards between them (with motto Gloria Exercitus, to the glory of the army) or of two commemorative types of the same period celebrating the twin capitals of the late Roman Empire: Rome (emblem = she-wolf and twins) and Constantinople (emblem = Victory on prow). From the same find? The majority are still fused in their purse shape and all the identifiable coins cover a chronologically close period of just two decades, much like we would expect to find in our purses today. Conclusion On the balance of probabilities, therefore, I conclude that these coins belong together as a hoard and constitute a prima facie case of treasure by being bronze coins of an antiquity greater than 300 years and are of one find of more than ten pieces.Richard Abdy | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
-
-
-
COIN
Copper alloy nummus of Constantine…
-
COIN
A copper-alloy Roman nummus of…
-
COIN
A copper-alloy Roman nummus of…
-
COIN
A copper-alloy Roman nummus of…
-
COIN
Copper alloy nummus of Crispus,…
-
COIN
Roman copper alloy coin. Nummus…
-
HOARD
Treasure Cases 2010 T98 and…
|