DOI Artikel:
Paunov, Evgeni Ivanov: Roman aurei in Moesia and Thrace from Augustus to Trajan
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41949#0147
Evgeni I. Paunov
ROMAN A UREI IN MOESIA AND THRACE
FROM AUGUSTUS TO TRAJAN*
In memoriam Andrzej Kunisz (1932-1998)
Abstract: This paper traces and studies early Roman gold coins froin Moesia and Thrace from
the reigns of Augustus to Trajan. Both available hoards and stray finds are reviewed. Twenty-five
stray aurei (compared to three known previously) from the Bałkan provinces are included and dis-
cussed. Eleven of them are provenanced and their geographic distribution is compared and ana-
lyzed as far as possible. Also discussed are a few smali groups of aurei from Moesia (such as Ram
and Kozloduj), which should be interpreted as first-century AD hoards (or fragments). An Antoninę
hoard of aurei from Stakevci near Ratiaria (Moesia Superior) is rearranged and a new interpretation
is suggested. Unfortunately, the limited evidence from Moesia and Thrace precludes any morę
specific conclusions concerning the circulation of early Roman gold.
Key words: Roman gold, aurei, coinage, stray finds, hoards, Roman numismatics, Moesia, Thra-
cia, imperium Romanum, Kozloduj, Ram, Stakevci
The most important gold coin during the Principate was the denarius aureus, but it is sel-
dom found outside of Romę and Italy except in some rare cases.1 The presence of aurei in
the Thracian and Lower Danube provinces2 is also very limited.3 This scarcity is usually
explained by the high intrinsic value of gold coins, which madę people morę careful not
to lose them.4
* I would like to thank a number of colleagues and
friends who kindly assisted me with illustrative
materiał and data about relevant finds: Dr. Mario
Ivanov (Sofia), Dr. Martin Gjuzelev (Burgas), Mr.
Peter Banov (Pleven), Dr. Mariana Minkova (Stara
Zagora), Mrs. Dessislava Davidova (Plovdiv), Mr.
Vesselin Ignatov (Nova Zagora), Prof. Dr. Ivan
Karajotov (Burgas), Assoc. Prof. Dr. I. Prokopov
(Sofia) and Dr. Gabriel Talmafchi (Constanta). I also
received valuable Information from Prof. Dr. Dimi-
tar Draganov (Russe), Dr. Igor Lazarenko (Varna),
Mr. Stojan Mihajlov (Veliko Tamovo) and Dr. Du-
bravka Ujes-Morgan (Newark, Delaware).
1 The classic example is Pompeii where the gold ex-
amples are 4% of the coin finds but amount to 69-
70% of the currency power (Howgego 1992, p. 11).
This excludes the large aureus hoards from Liber-
chies 1970 in Northern Gaul (Thirion 1972), and
both hoards from Trier in Germany (Elmer, Steiner
1936, pp. 170-175, and Gilles 1994, pp. 9-24).
2 A preliminary assessment of this problem is given
by the late Professor Andrzej Kunisz, see Kunisz
1992, pp. 60-62 and 179.
3 Compare, for example, the case in the neigbouring
province of Dacia (Ardevan 1996, pp. 15-25, and
Gazdac 2010, pp. 94-95 and 146).
4 Howgego 1992, p. 4; Wolters 2001, p. 586.
ROMAN A UREI IN MOESIA AND THRACE
FROM AUGUSTUS TO TRAJAN*
In memoriam Andrzej Kunisz (1932-1998)
Abstract: This paper traces and studies early Roman gold coins froin Moesia and Thrace from
the reigns of Augustus to Trajan. Both available hoards and stray finds are reviewed. Twenty-five
stray aurei (compared to three known previously) from the Bałkan provinces are included and dis-
cussed. Eleven of them are provenanced and their geographic distribution is compared and ana-
lyzed as far as possible. Also discussed are a few smali groups of aurei from Moesia (such as Ram
and Kozloduj), which should be interpreted as first-century AD hoards (or fragments). An Antoninę
hoard of aurei from Stakevci near Ratiaria (Moesia Superior) is rearranged and a new interpretation
is suggested. Unfortunately, the limited evidence from Moesia and Thrace precludes any morę
specific conclusions concerning the circulation of early Roman gold.
Key words: Roman gold, aurei, coinage, stray finds, hoards, Roman numismatics, Moesia, Thra-
cia, imperium Romanum, Kozloduj, Ram, Stakevci
The most important gold coin during the Principate was the denarius aureus, but it is sel-
dom found outside of Romę and Italy except in some rare cases.1 The presence of aurei in
the Thracian and Lower Danube provinces2 is also very limited.3 This scarcity is usually
explained by the high intrinsic value of gold coins, which madę people morę careful not
to lose them.4
* I would like to thank a number of colleagues and
friends who kindly assisted me with illustrative
materiał and data about relevant finds: Dr. Mario
Ivanov (Sofia), Dr. Martin Gjuzelev (Burgas), Mr.
Peter Banov (Pleven), Dr. Mariana Minkova (Stara
Zagora), Mrs. Dessislava Davidova (Plovdiv), Mr.
Vesselin Ignatov (Nova Zagora), Prof. Dr. Ivan
Karajotov (Burgas), Assoc. Prof. Dr. I. Prokopov
(Sofia) and Dr. Gabriel Talmafchi (Constanta). I also
received valuable Information from Prof. Dr. Dimi-
tar Draganov (Russe), Dr. Igor Lazarenko (Varna),
Mr. Stojan Mihajlov (Veliko Tamovo) and Dr. Du-
bravka Ujes-Morgan (Newark, Delaware).
1 The classic example is Pompeii where the gold ex-
amples are 4% of the coin finds but amount to 69-
70% of the currency power (Howgego 1992, p. 11).
This excludes the large aureus hoards from Liber-
chies 1970 in Northern Gaul (Thirion 1972), and
both hoards from Trier in Germany (Elmer, Steiner
1936, pp. 170-175, and Gilles 1994, pp. 9-24).
2 A preliminary assessment of this problem is given
by the late Professor Andrzej Kunisz, see Kunisz
1992, pp. 60-62 and 179.
3 Compare, for example, the case in the neigbouring
province of Dacia (Ardevan 1996, pp. 15-25, and
Gazdac 2010, pp. 94-95 and 146).
4 Howgego 1992, p. 4; Wolters 2001, p. 586.