Notae Numismaticae - Zapiski Numizmatyczne (9.2014)

ARKADIUSZ DYMOWSKI
Gdynia
KIRILL MYZGIN
V.N. Karazin Kharkiy National University

Inhow and Redistribution of Roman Imperial Denarii
in the Area of the Przeworsk, Wielbark and Chemyakhiv
Cuitures and in the Baltic Islands in the Light
of Chronoiogical Structure of Coin Hoards

It is quite obvious that Roman coins discovered to the north of the Danubian times and to the
east of the Rhine limes must be treated as evidence of the influx of Roman coinage to Barbaricum and
redistribution of these coins within Barbaricum.' In many cases it is very hard to conclude whether
a given hnd is to be interpreted as a direct import from the Empire- or is morę likely to be linked with
intertribal, secondary exchange in the Barbarian territory.^ At the current level of research we can

' The authors are indebted to Dr Helle Horsnaes of the Royat CoHection of Coins and Medals, National
Museum of Denmark, to Dr Lennart Lind of the Stockhohn University and to Vitaliy Sidorovich of the Belaru-
sian State University for their assistance in obtaining access to the most recent materia) from the territories of
Denmark, Sweden and Belarus and their advice on how to interpret it. We also extend our thanks to Dr Cristian
Gazdac of the Romanian Academy of Science, for similar assistance with hnds from the Danubian area.
^ A detailed analysis of circumstances in which Roman coinage passed into Barbarian hands is given by
Peter Kehne (P. KEHNE, "Ausktinfte antiker Schriftquellen zu Umstanden und GroBenordnungen des Abhusses
rómischer Munzen ins Barbaricum vom 1.-5. Jahrhundert n. Chr. - Eine Problemskizze" in: A. BURSCHE,
R. CIOŁEK, R. WOLTERS (eds.), Powo// Co/m' oMA/de t/ze P///p/'re. om/ P/zme^, Co//texA u/zr/ Pz//zc-
t/'om, Wetteren 2008 ("Collection Moneta," vol. 82), pp. 75-81; cf. also A. BURSCHE, Luter Po/zzu/z-Puróur/u/z
Co/ztucA /'/z Ce/ztru/ Pz/rope. AM/zzA'//?ut/'cPv/'<Le/zce, Berlin 1996 ("Studien zu Fundmtinzen der Antike," vo). 11),
pp. 101-12! and IDEM, "Dalsze monety ze skarbu w Liwie, powiat Węgrów. Trzeciowieczne denary na terenach
Barbaricum" in: W. KACZANOW1CZ (ed.), PtMt/zo z <Lz/'e/'ów u/ztykz/. Po/zz/^c/ Pro/esoru d/zhrze/'u Pz/zzAzu, Ka-
towice 2004, p. 198. The political circumstances of the coin inflow to Barbaricum would be e.g., as tribute (e.g.,
for military support or to guarantee peace), contribution (e.g., paid to the client States of the Roman Empire), loot,
ransom, or soldiers' pay.
^ In the Barbarian territory Roman coins could have been redistributed through intertribal exchange, gifts,
ptunder (cf. A. BURSCHE, P/erzzp /fz/u/ D/e ALz'//zze/z, Arhus 2013 ("Jutland Archaeotogical Society Publica-
tions" XXV: 14, 2010), p. 84) or even grave robbery (cf. M. MĄCZYŃSKA, D. RUDNICKA, "Uwagi wstępne
o skarbie z okresu rzymskiego z Łubianej, woj. gdańskie" in: J. KOLENDO (ed.), /Vowe z/zu/ezAku /'///portów
rzy/mP/c/z z z/ew PoAP/ 7, Warszawa 1998 ("Corpus der rómischen Fundę im europaischen Barbaricum, Suple-
ment," vol. 1), pp. 42-45).