DOI issue:
Artikuły / Articles
DOI article:László, Simon: Numismatic data from the history of Northeastern Hungary during the Roman Imperial Age
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41338#0150
l . ASZLO SIMON
coins to the 4th century, but we have not found any further information about them
in the literaturę or in other museums’ collections.71
In the Barbaricum during the 3rd and 4th centuries, Roman coins - mostly
madę from bad ąuality silver and bronze - spread due to commercial activities.
They were morę common where Roman troops were stationed.72 We cannot
take this process into consideration in our focus area. In this period, only two
shorter periods are represented in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County. In regards to
coins issued between AD 253-275, we know of six coins by Gallienus, thirteen
by Claudius II, one by Quintillus, and nine by Aurelian and his wife, Severina.
They are mostly antoniniani or bronze coins, and most of them are from
the Szirma-Faskert archaeological site. Besides these findings, all the other coins
from the 3rd century are from other sites, but they were not found in hoards.
The second period represented in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County is Constantine
the Great’s thirty-year reign: a total of thirteen different coins were struck in this
period.
The history of the Roman gold coins from Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County
The silver and gold coins appearing in the Barbaricum became a tool
of the Empire’s foreign policy as long as they remained behind after a battle
or campaign.73 The discovery of coins like these, along with other Roman prestige
objects (metallic vessels, jewelry and prestige pottery), is an obvious sign
of a potentially wealthy person, group or population. The increase in the number
of coins and the appearance of coins madę of gold is obviously related to changes
that took place in the Empire. Late Roman gold coins from our area are part
of an observed concentration of findings in the Upper-Tisza area - in northeastern
Hungary. They were usually found near the Sarmatian fortification or further
afield.74 The presence of these coins suggests that there was a federation system
in existence between the Roman Empire and its potential enemies, e.g.,
the Germans and the Huns, enemies who were treated to be importantA
Eight gold coins from between Aurelian (270-275) and Theodosius II (408-
-450) are known to be from our county (from Mera, Miskolc, Muhi, Korom,
Tibolddaróc [two pieces], Tiszakeszi and from near Tokaj); we can also include
71 REDO 2008: 378, Fig. 2.
72 VADAY 1998: 128; BURSCHE 2002: 121.
73 About the role of Roman coins in the Barbaricum, cf. BURSCHE 2008.
74 GABLER 1975: 103.
75 BONA 1986: 57-58; ISTVANOVlTS 2002: 281-282; PROHASZKA 2006: 15-17; IDEM 2009:
475-479.
coins to the 4th century, but we have not found any further information about them
in the literaturę or in other museums’ collections.71
In the Barbaricum during the 3rd and 4th centuries, Roman coins - mostly
madę from bad ąuality silver and bronze - spread due to commercial activities.
They were morę common where Roman troops were stationed.72 We cannot
take this process into consideration in our focus area. In this period, only two
shorter periods are represented in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County. In regards to
coins issued between AD 253-275, we know of six coins by Gallienus, thirteen
by Claudius II, one by Quintillus, and nine by Aurelian and his wife, Severina.
They are mostly antoniniani or bronze coins, and most of them are from
the Szirma-Faskert archaeological site. Besides these findings, all the other coins
from the 3rd century are from other sites, but they were not found in hoards.
The second period represented in Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County is Constantine
the Great’s thirty-year reign: a total of thirteen different coins were struck in this
period.
The history of the Roman gold coins from Borsod-Abauj-Zemplen County
The silver and gold coins appearing in the Barbaricum became a tool
of the Empire’s foreign policy as long as they remained behind after a battle
or campaign.73 The discovery of coins like these, along with other Roman prestige
objects (metallic vessels, jewelry and prestige pottery), is an obvious sign
of a potentially wealthy person, group or population. The increase in the number
of coins and the appearance of coins madę of gold is obviously related to changes
that took place in the Empire. Late Roman gold coins from our area are part
of an observed concentration of findings in the Upper-Tisza area - in northeastern
Hungary. They were usually found near the Sarmatian fortification or further
afield.74 The presence of these coins suggests that there was a federation system
in existence between the Roman Empire and its potential enemies, e.g.,
the Germans and the Huns, enemies who were treated to be importantA
Eight gold coins from between Aurelian (270-275) and Theodosius II (408-
-450) are known to be from our county (from Mera, Miskolc, Muhi, Korom,
Tibolddaróc [two pieces], Tiszakeszi and from near Tokaj); we can also include
71 REDO 2008: 378, Fig. 2.
72 VADAY 1998: 128; BURSCHE 2002: 121.
73 About the role of Roman coins in the Barbaricum, cf. BURSCHE 2008.
74 GABLER 1975: 103.
75 BONA 1986: 57-58; ISTVANOVlTS 2002: 281-282; PROHASZKA 2006: 15-17; IDEM 2009:
475-479.