Notae Numismaticae - Zapiski Numizmatyczne (5.2004)

Jerzy Ciecieląg

mainly in provincial cities, although the use of countermarking was also
widespread in the imperial army. It was very rarely that some specific
coins or types were slated for countermarking, as is revealed by hoards of
bronzes countermarked at the same place and time. It is therefore plausi-
ble to conclude that a countermark could serve to warrant a coin's worth
that was being raised, decreased, or confirmed. Thus, using denominatio-
nal countermarks, it was possible to determine the value of old and new
coinage. Particularly the old, worn-out coins had their life prolonged in
this way. Moreover, countermarking could extend the circulation of old
coins when the mint was down.

Numerous as occasions for countermarking were, smali denominations
(such as Roman cjuadranses)3 were not as rule subjected to the process.
Most coins bearing countermarks were issued outside Romę and Italy,
and large proportion of them was in circulation in the empire's frontier
regions4. A variety of symbols and abbreviations were used in counter-
marks, their derivation from either Latin or Greek depending on which
language prevailed in the area where the coin was to be circulated or was
the dominant tongue in a given military unit (legionary countermarks).

3H. MATTINGLY, Coins ofthe Roman Empire in the British Museum, I, London 1923, p. XVII, notę
4. Apart from Judaean prefects' coinage, we know of other quadranses countermarked, namely: a) 14
city coins of Ascalon struck in 72/73, 76/77, 86/87 AD; b) 12 city coins of Sidon from 47/48, 77/78,
87/88 AD; c) some uncertain pieces of Tyre; d) one coin of Gadara issued during the reign of Titus
(79-81 AD). Ali the above coins are countermarked with an X or XF (or their variants), indicating
only the number of a Roman legion. For group a), see Catalogue ofthe Greek Coins in the British Mu-
seum, Palestine, London 1914, p. 113, No. 56; for groups b)-d), see C.J HOWGEGO, op. cit. ctrm. 735.
See also Y. MESHORER, „The Coins of Masada" in: Masada, I, Jerusalem 1989, Nos. 1309, 3782-3783;
K. LÓNNQVIST, „New Vistas on the Countermarked Coins of the Roman Prefects of Judaea," Israel
Numismatic Journal, 12 (1992-93), p. 57, notę 3. For the many grouping variants of coins, see D. BARAG,
„The Countermarks of the Legio Decima Fretensis" in: A. KINDLER, ed., Proceedings ofthe Internatio-
nal Numismatic Conoention, Jerusalem 27-31 December 1963, Tire Patterns ofthe Monetary Denelcrpment in
Phoenicia and Palestine in Anticjuity, Jerusalem 1967, p. 120, group IV.

In discussing the countermarks on coins of Judaean prefects, Ascalon coins are especially re-
markable as the countermarks were struck on them doubtless by a legionary detachment stationed
nearby. We know that the imperial possessions in Ascalon were supervised by at least one Roman
infantry cohort and one ala of cavalry, probably belonging to Legion X Fretensis (?), which conducted
military operations in this area commanded by Vespasian during the First Jewish War (FLAVIUS
JOSEPHUS, Bellum Judaicum III, II, 1, 12). Another point to bear in mind is that a large issue of city
coinage struck in Ascalon mint early in the first century AD may also have to do with the presence
of a large Roman military force nearby.

4MATTINGLY, Coins of the Roman Empire in the British Museum, pp. XXIX, XXXI.

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