Roman Imperial Coins Research Papers (original) (raw)

The Roman use of coins as ornamental components of jewellery is widely spread in time and diversified. The first aim of the paper is to discuss its chronology. The dating of individual artefacts must take three factors into account: the date of issue of the coin (terminus post quem), the temporal range of diπusion of the same type among jewellery with and without coins (terminus ad quem) and the date of the archaeological context in which the jewellery was discovered, if any (terminus ante quem). Therefore, the oldest surviving pieces of Roman coin jewellery date back to the last years of the 1st/early 2nd century ce. Afterwards, coin jewellery has a considerable and continuous development until the 5th century. Secondly, the paper intends to present the diπerent types of Roman coin-set jewellery. The most elaborate of them inserted the coins—usually in gold—into pendants, rings, bracelets, brooches, belts, body-chains. Moreover, bronze coins (just pierced and suspended to perishable laces) could also be transformed into less pretentious jewels. Thirdly, the paper tries to identify the wearers of the various categories of coin jewels from a
gender perspective, answering questions such as: was a type of coin jewel worn only by women or only by men? Was a type of coin jewel common to both? Its last part is dedicated to the function of coin jewellery. The most ostentatious gold items seem to leave no doubt about their role as a status symbol and display of wealth. But one should also consider the hypothesis that coin jewels and especially pierced coins would be worn as a sort of amulet—thanks to their images
and to the protective function assigned to metals (gold and copper)—rather than merely intended as an ornament.
The paper cannot certainly discuss all the questions related to Roman monetary jewellery. It presents very briefly the main themes that I deal with in greater depth and width in my forthcoming book "Nomismata pro gemmis. Gioielli monetali romani."

- by Mark Beumer
- •
- Christianity, Ancient History, Roman History, History of Education
- by Erika Manders
- •
- Caracalla, Roman Imperial Ideology, Roman Imperial Coins

Kubitschek contributed his research on the Ara Pacis coins of Nero and Domitian to Petersen in 1901/02 but found P was not going to make sufficient use of them, so he published the article himself. K went to much effort to find the best preserved museum pieces, only to discover it was easy to buy just as good coins in the Paris antiquities markets. He sees the differences between Nero's and Domitian's issues, which are different sides of the same building. Simplifications on the coins should not reject the whole (do not throw out the baby with bathwater) because it is hard to render accuracy on a coin of a building like the Ara Pacis or Trajan's Column.

The Roman numismatic coins of the Silla History and Archaeology Museum (Valencia, Spain) are made
public. It is a museum that gards coins which come from two archaeological excavations recently made in
two villae located in its municipal district: La Font del Gat and Silla, last one in the historical centre of
population. Four high-imperial coins were recovered in the first villa, without archaeological context, and
in the second one a monetary set was found, made up of by a ring and four coins; three ases of Claudius I
of Hispanic mint and an as of Galba, which appeared in a Roman thermal bath, in the middle of the trench
of the foundation of the wall that separates the changing area of the space which gives way to the cold area
or an unctorium. Probably it is a foundational deposit with votive components. A brief current situation of
the knowledge has been done of the ancient numismatic in the region of “L’Horta Sud” of Valencia.
Se dan a conocer los fondos numismáticos romanos del Museo de Historia y Arqueología de Silla. Se
trata de un museo que custodia monedas provenientes de dos intervenciones arqueológicas efectuadas recientemente
en dos villas romanas localizadas en su término municipal: la de La Font del Gat y la de Silla,
esta última situada en el centro histórico de la población. De la primera villa se recuperaron cuatro monedas
altoimperiales sin contexto arqueológico y de la segunda se halló un conjunto monetario, formado
por un anillo y cuatro monedas: tres ases de Claudio I de ceca hispana y un as de Galba, el cual apareció
en unas termas romanas, en mitad de la zanja de fundación del cimiento del muro que separaba la zona
de muda del espacio de la sala fría o de un unctorium. Se trata de un probable depósito fundacional con
componentes votivos. También aquí se hace un sucinto estado de la cuestión del conocimiento de la numismática
antigua en la comarca de l´Horta Sud de Valencia.

- by Tomás Hurtado Mullor
- •
- History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Ritual
- by G. P. Romani
- •
- Roman coins, Roman Imperial Coins, Late-roman coinage, Late Roman Coinage

Towards the end of the 3rd century in conditions of continuous barbaric attacks the importance of the army was elevate and this was reflected on the coins as well. The depiction of Victoria bestowing a soldier with a wreath on the head became a dominating feature on the coins. These victorious coins were an expression the military success against the rivals. The images of the pagan gods on the coins were still in use: Jupiter, Genius, Sol or Mithras. During the reign of Diocletian (284-305) the individual portrait disappeared from the coins. The depictions of the
rulers looked alike, and only by some slight features they could be identified. The Emperor was mainly portrayed with a short head; a protruding nose and a strait notch was used for the mouth. In the third
decade of the 4th century the signs of Christianity became visible, although various personifications were still in use.
The Late Roman coinage system was reformed in 498 by Anastasius who introduced a numbering method: M= 40 nummi, K=20 nummi. These coins were minted in Constantinople, however during the reign
of Anastasius striking of coins was also carried out in the mints in Nicomedia and Antioch. The images on the coins during the 5th and the 6th centuries were made in an idealistic scheme. This was the period
when the image of Victoria on the reverse side of the coin was transfigured into St.Michael. The Early Byzantine coins became distinct by religious symbols. In the period when politics and Christianity played
an important role in the social life of the state they promoted Christianity. These coins in comparison to the Roman coins were not distinguished by high artistic and aesthetic values. This was result of the
portraiture, which was an unrealistic rendition made in low relief, a spiritless image, and stiff and stylized figures. The engraving technique was primitive and the inscriptions were illegible.
During the reign of Justinian I (527- 565) an additional monetary reform was issued from 538-539, when eleven mints were open as a sign of the strengthening of the economy and the trade. Alongside the official
state mints local mints also worked during this period. The craftsmen in these minting workshops attempted to imitate the coins from the state mints, this has been determined by the finish cuts of the casts, which are rough and the image of the ruler and the lettering of the inscription is misplaced. There was great difference in the creation of the obverse
and the reverse side of the coin, since the value of the coin was stated on the reverse. All presented coins in this catalogue originate from private collections. With this publication we submit to the wider public several new coins from the Late Antiquity important for the cultural heritage of Macedonia.

The Roman coins discovered in various points across the commune of Tăcuta (Vaslui County, Romania) are presented: Tăcuta– " Dealul Miclea " (a possible coin hoard, of which four denarii were recovered: 1 AR Traianus, 3 AR Marcus Aurelius (1 AR Faustina)); Focșeasca– " Pietrăria " (?) (1 AR Traianus, 1 AR Hadrianus) and Cujba (?) (2 AE Constantius II, 1 AE Valens). No information was available for the rest of the coins (1 AR sub., 1 AE Gordianus III, 1 AE Constantius II, 1 AE Valens). They are part of private collections (Șt. Ciudin), public collections (The " Ștefan cel Mare " Museum of Vaslui) or their traces were lost. The monetary items are correlated with the numerous archaeological vestiges of the " Poienești " or " Sântana de Mureș-Chernyakhiv " type, known to have been found in this area. In addition, this work interprets the monetary finds of Tăcuta in the broader context of the presence of Roman coins in the " barbarian " territory east from the Carpathians, throughout the 2 nd –4 th centuries AD.

- by Lucian Munteanu and +1
- •
- Numismatics, Ancient numismatics (Archaeology), Roman numismatics and archaeology, Ancient Roman Numismatics
- by Cristian Gazdac
- •
- History, Ancient History, Economic History, Archaeology

In opdracht van De Nederlandsche Bank te Amsterdam voerde ik voor de afronding van de bachelor archeologie een numismatisch en iconografisch onderzoek uit naar de afgebeelde propaganda op de keerzijden van Romeinse munten. Het... more

- by Cristian Gazdac
- •
- History, Ancient History, Economic History, Archaeology

The Institute of Historical Research of the National Hellenic Research Foundation is pleased to announce the organisation of its first Summer School on Ancient Greek and Roman Numismatics, to take place at its premises in Athens, from 3 to 12 July 2017.
The detailed programme of the Summer School, participation fees and the application procedure will be announced in January 2017 on the NHRF website (www.eie.gr).
For more information contact us on: numismatics@eie.gr

- by Evangeline Markou and +2
- •
- Ancient History, Roman History, Numismatics, Numismatic
- by G. P. Romani
- •
- Roman coins, Roman Imperial Coins, Late Roman Coins, Late Roman Coinage

A roundup of the various coins, coin hoards and coin-related items found in Norfolk during 2017 and earlier. From Norfolk Archaeology 2018

- by Nathan T. Elkins
- •
- History, Ancient History, Archaeology, Classical Archaeology
- by Marie-Laure Le Brazidec
- •
- Archaeology, Numismatics, Roman Imperial Coins, Exhibitions

The newly written paper for Roman imperial silver coins is expanding the studied area of counterfeited silver coins discovered on archaeological sites by analyzing a hole geographic region stretching from the middle Danube in the East to the shores of the lower Rhine in the West. Aiming to prove the existence of a centralize pattern regarding silver plated coins distribution, the study expanded its investigation to include the random appearance of hybrid and plated hybrid coins. Besides this the focus will remain on counterfeited pieces, their proportions and distribution, with a smaller case study for the Severian period during when most plated pieces were dated for. Towards the end of the study new results can finally support previous debated arguments regarding coin distribution and patterns of distribution in frontier provinces, alongside with Rome's approach to silver plated pieces.

- by Razvan Bogdan Gaspar
- •
- Military History, Numismatics, Ancient numismatics (Archaeology), Roman Army

In the summer of 2015 a coin hoard, which contained 32 denarii and antoniniani dated to the first half/middle of the 3rd c. AD, was found near the town of Guysin (Vinnytsia oblast, Ukraine). It included coins minted by eight Roman emperors: Caracalla, Elagabalus, Severus Alexander, Maximinus Thrax, Gordian III, Philip I the Arab, Trebonianus Gallus and Volusianus. This composition is unique for Roman coin hoards found on the territory of the East European forest-steppe. The nearest hoard which is similar in composition to the Guysin deposit was found near the village of Perehinka in Khmelnytsky region (41 antoniniani). The trove from Guysin also is very similar to three hoards of the first half/middle of the 3rd c. AD from the territory of Moldova. Probably, all these hoards (including the Guysin one) were part of the subsidies, which Trebonianus Gallus paid to barbarian peoples in the early 50s of the 3rd century AD.

- by Kyrylo Myzgin and +1
- •
- Late Roman Archaeology, Roman coins, Roman Imperial Coins, Barbaricum
- by Susann Lusnia
- •
- Roman Imperial Ideology, Septimius Severus, Roman Imperial Coins, Julia Domna
- by Cristian Gazdac
- •
- Ancient History, Archaeology, Numismatics, Roman Army
- by Berthod David
- •
- Roman Imperial Coins, Late Roman Coins, Late Roman Coinage, Valentinian I
- by Achim Lichtenberger
- •
- Ancient History, Classical Archaeology, Classics, Iconography

The present work deals with the Roman cistophori kept in the coin cabinet of the National Museum in Aquileia. Even if no data concerning the find spot are available, these coins could reflect part of the contents of one or more hoards of denarii formerly uncovered in the area of the ancient city but disassembled in the aftermath. Given the very restricted circulation of cistophorus limited to the province of Asia, finds from Aquileia constitute the largest assemblage of this kind in the entire Western Mediterranean. The reason for such an anomalous presence is to be found in the close commercial ties between Aquileia and the western Asia Minor, well defined by archaeological and epigraphical sources.

The paper treats one of the most rare and interesting early Roman coins minted in Thrace under Claudius – sestertii for Britannicus Caesar, for Agrippina Minor and for young Nero, struck in the period ca. AD 50/51 – 54. It is assumed that they were produced in the civic mint of Perinthus, the provincial capital of Thrace. The following specimens of Britannicus Caesar are discussed within:

Sestertius, type B, 35 mm, 27.14 g; from the sacred spring at Aquae Calidae, 1910 – Berlin coin collection, acc. no. 1924/489; object ID 18202639 (von Kaenel 1984, 130, B.4).
Sestertius, type B, from the collection of Mr. Panayotoff in the 1920’s – cast kept in the Stadtliche Museen at Berlin (von Kaenel 1984, 131, B.5).
Sestertius, type B, 36 mm; unknown weight, provenance not known – kept in the National History Museum in Sofia since 1979 (Божкова 1980, 10-11).
Sestertius, type A, 33 mm, 28.46 g; from excavations in central Sofia (metro station 8-II), campaign 2011 – published by Владимирова-Аладжова 2011, 110-116.
Whatever the case with the actual mint, these ‘Roman’ series of Claudius may be regarded as special issues for the first Roman troops and administration in the province of Thrace, shortly after the annexation and pacification of the country.

- by Mirjana Vojvoda
- •
- Roman Imperial Coins

Experts have recently reported false bronze nummi with large reverse monograms of late Roman Imperial and Ostrogothic leaders. The experts include Alain Gennari and other members of Lamoneta.it, but not the present author. He is simply presenting this supplement to his paper “The Ricimer Monogram with Its Mysterious Additional A” and informing readers about the likelihood of spurious pieces thought to be of modern Serbian origin. His previous paper presented two Ricimer pieces, and here he presents two pieces with monograms interpreted as Eraric’s by some sources, but as mere fantasies by others. Some disagreement regarding authenticity appears to remain among some experts and dealers.

The article is an experience of regional study of Roman coins finds on the territory of Eastern Europe. The basic information about them was collected and published in the middle of the 20th century. However, today this source base has significantly expanded. Basically, due to the use of metal detectors during archaeological research and, unfortunately, for illegal purposes (such finds are called «less reliable», their use is obligatory, however, provided a critical approach to information). Analysis of the main categories of Roman сoin finds in the region made it possible to distinguish features in their distribution. Basically, Volhynia are is outside the concentration of the main categories of finds of Roman coins in Eastern Barbaricum: Roman
republican coins, 1—2nd c. AD denarii, 1—3rd c. AD aurei, 2—3rd AD bronze provincial coins, antoniniani and bronze and silver emissions of 4th c. AD. Nevertheless, the concentration of the 4th c. AD Roman gold medallions is associated with this region (in article published a new find of such coin), which indicates here the existence of the centre of the barbarous elite. In general, the numismatic material of the Volhynia region is typical for the territory of the right bank of Dnieper. At the
same time, do not forget that Volhynia, like all territory of Eastern Barbaricum, in Roman period was part of the German cultural circle, in which Roman coins were universal.

- by Kyrylo Myzgin
- •
- Prehistoric Archaeology, Roman Provincial Coinage, Roman Imperial Coins, Barbaricum

An update of the Roman coin jewels auctioned from 2006 to 2016 is presented and discussed. They are two necklaces, nine pendants and two finger rings. The essay also presents a new ideal assemblage of the necklace from the so-called "Diarchy Treasury" offered for sale in 2016 again and two uniface gold medallions manufactured in the Barbaricum from recent sales catalogues.

- by Olivier Hekster
- •
- Media and Cultural Studies, Propaganda, Roman Empire, Branding
- by Cornelis GJ Pannekeet
- •
- Ancient Roman Numismatics, Roman Imperial Coins
- by hydy zak
- •
- Ancient Greek and Roman Art, Roman coins, Ancient Coins, Roman Imperial Coins

A lo largo de sus tres siglos de historia en la época imperial romana, la función principal de la Guardia Pretoriana fue la protección de la figura del emperador allí donde este se encontrara, ya fuera actuando permanentemente como su escolta y guardia personal en el palacio imperial o como última línea de defensa en el ámbito militar. Pero como cuerpo de élite del ejército romano acantonado en la capital del Imperio también se les encomendó el mantenimiento y, en su caso, restablecimiento del orden allí donde fuera necesario. Así, la Guardia Pretoriana se conformaría como una de las piezas clave en la historia imperial romana como uno de los actores principales no solo a nivel militar sino también a nivel político, papel este último muy alejado de las funciones iniciales para las que fue creada pero que poco a poco fue cobrando especial relevancia tanto por su cercanía a la figura de los sucesivos emperadores como por su acantonamiento en la capital imperial. Consciente de su poder, no fueron pocas las ocasiones en que los pretorianos utilizaron su posición e influencias para dirigir y aprovechar los habituales cambios políticos en la cúspide del poder . Pero, aun siendo menos conocida, no sería menor la importancia bélica que en los campos de batalla protagonizarían los pretorianos en numerosas ocasiones como unidad militar y que a la postre les consagraría como uno de los pilares fundamentales del régimen imperial prácticamente desde su creación, en tiempos de Augusto , hasta su desmantelamiento llevado a cabo por el emperador Majencio.
Como cuerpo de élite del ejército, reconocidos como los mejor entrenados y preparados como demostraron en no pocas ocasiones, y en base a su especial misión recibían una paga superior al del resto de soldados; y su tiempo de servicio era varios años menor, por lo que resultaban ser la envidia del resto de unidades militares y en particular de aquellos que servían en el limes del imperio . Es por ello que trataremos aquí de realizar un estudio esquemático sobre su formación, estructura, actuaciones, etc. con el fin de ahondar en el conocimiento de esta institución muchas veces denostada por algunas de sus intervenciones.

- by Arturo Sanchez Sanz
- •
- Religion, History, Ancient History, Military History

Liberalitas was one of the most important forms of social activities of the Roman emperors. In quantitative terms, it is also one of the five most important imperial virtues. It appeared on coins as Liberalitas Augusti, which gave this virtue an additional, divine dimension. The first Empress to depict the idea of imperial generosity on the coins issued on her behalf was Julia Domna. In this respect, her liberalitas coins mark a breakthrough in the exposition of this imperial virtue. The well-known female liberalitas coin issues, or imperial issues with empresses' portraits, date back to the third century and clearly articulate the liberalitas, both iconographically and literally, through the legend on the reverse of the coin. Other coins, issued on behalf of the emperors (mainly medallions), accentuate in some cases (Julia Mamaea, Salonina) the personal and active participation of women from the imperial house in congiarium-type activities. The issues discussed and analysed, which appeared on behalf of the emperors or the imperial women-with a clear emphasis on the role of women-undoubtedly demonstrate the feminine support for the emperor's social policy towards the people of Rome, including the various social undertakings of incumbent emperors, to whom they were related. They prove their active involvement and support for the image of the princeps created by the emperors through the propaganda of virtues (such as liberalitas). The dynastic policy of the emperors, in which the empresses played a key role, was also of considerable importance.

- by Katarzyna Balbuza
- •
- Ancient Roman Numismatics, Roman coins, Roman Imperial Ideology, Ancient Rome
- by Hollard Dominique
- •
- Roman Imperial Coins, Roman chronology, Gallic Empire Coinage