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Clipped Siliquae and the end of Roman Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2011

Andrew Burnett
Andrew Burnett
Affiliation:
Dept. of Coins and Medals, British Museum
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Extract

A large number of hoards of silver coins are known from late fourth-century Britain, and every year still more come to light. These hoards usually contain more or less the same sorts of coin and it may be helpful to give a summary of the main issues, as they are not presented very clearly in the standard reference book for the period, RIC IX.

Type
Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 15 , November 1984 , pp. 163 - 168
Copyright
Copyright © Andrew Burnett 1984. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

1 Recent bibliographies and discussions of these hoards are given by Carson, R. A. G., The British Museum Yearbook i (1976), 67–82Google Scholar, Archer, S. in Casey, P. J. (ed.), The End of Roman Britain (1979), 29–64Google Scholar and King, C. E., British Numismatic Journal (1981), 5–31.Google Scholar

2 For more recent hoards, see Burnett, A. M. (ed.), Coin Hoards from Roman Britain Vol. II (1981)Google Scholar for the Barton (recte Barrow) upon Humber hoard, and Vol IV (1983, forthcoming) for the hoards from Bromham, Barton upon Humber (addenda), Hovingham Park, Otterbourne II, Osbournby, Freckenham and Compton Downs. Part of the hoard from Thetford was published in Norfolk Archaeology (1978), 134, but another 27 coins (of the same period) have subsequently been found.Google Scholar

3 I follow the articles of Pearce, J. W. E., Numismatic Chronicle (1932), 245 (Urbs Roma at Trier)Google Scholar; (1935), 137 (Trier, 378–83); (1937), 1 (Eugenius); (1944), 45 (Valentinian II and Eugenius). The Bromham hoard has recently confirmed the date of 375 for the VRBS ROMA (throne) type. Pearce suggested a date of 377 for the start of Valentinian H's VICTORIA AVGGG type: that he did not coin between 375 and 377 is confirmed by the East Harptree hoard, although it is possible that the type did not begin until 379 when different types were introduced for all three emperors.

4 Ulrich-Bansa, O., Moneta Mediolanemis (1949), 187.Google Scholar

5 idem no. 86.

6 Carson, R. A. G., Principal Coins of the Romans III, 1503 and 1505.Google Scholar

7 idem, 1573.

8 Ulrich-Bansa, , op. cit. (note 4), nos. 80–4Google Scholar (all with Honorius' vota).

9 So Ulrich-Bansa, , op. cit. (note 4), no. 79Google Scholar, Carson, R. A. G., op. cit. (note 6), 1503.Google Scholar

10 e.g. Southsea (363), Bromham (375) or Thetford (388).

11 Sometimes even Arcadius predominates: N. Mendip, Osbournby.

12 e.g. Terling.

13 For light clipping in the Shapwick hoard of 389, see Pearce, J. W. E., Numismatic Chronicle (1938), 57. There is also a very lightly clipped coin in the recent Newton Mills, Bath hoard of 388.Google Scholar

14 Numismatic Chronicle (1933), 180.Google Scholar

15 Carson, R. A. G., op. cit. (note 1), 79.Google Scholar

16 If Icklingham III is not part of Icklingham I, then the proportion would rise to 50 per cent.

17 Kent, J. P. C., Roman Coins (1978), 58.Google Scholar

18 For brief discussions of these pieces, see Pearce, J. W. E., Numismatic Chronicle (1933), 180Google Scholar; Carson, R. A. G., Numismatic Chronicle (1959), 15 and note 1Google Scholar; Archer, S., op. cit. (note 1), 32Google Scholar; Kent, J. P. C. in Casey, P. J. (ed.), The End of Roman Britain (1979), 21.Google Scholar

19 Ravenna solidi are known from Richborough (Richborough IV, 317 no 33373: this piece and another in the name of Arcadius are now in the British Museum) and Maiden Castle (Wheeler, R. E. M., Maiden Castle, 334)Google Scholar; solidi of Constantine III from Eye (Numismatic Chronicle (1891), 10)Google Scholar and Great Stanmore (Numismatic Chronicle (1915), 511–2).Google Scholar

20 e.g. Bromha m 413 : a n obverse of Valens with a reverse combining elements of Aries (the eagle) an d Lyon (the mint-mark) siliquae of Julian.

21 For the group of quite good style with mint-marks AQPS, LVGPS, MVG and MDG., see Numismatic Chronicle (1944), pl. v nos. 1–5 and 7–9Google Scholar. Further examples are known from Hovingham Park (no. 23) and Freckenham (no. 206), both from the same reverse die as pl. v, 4–5; the Freckenham piece has the same obverse die as pl. v. 7. Freckenham 205 is from the same dies as pl. V. 9. Another piece, Osbournby 292, belongs to the same group, but shares no dies.

22 See the articles by Pearce listed in note 3; Koblitz, H. von, Trierer Zeitschrift (1928), 24–54.Google Scholar

23 Numismatic Chronicle (1932), 266Google Scholar; cf. Numismatic Chronicle (1933), 180.Google Scholar

24 Icklingham II, Colerne.

25 Whorlton, Compton Downs and ‘Fleetwood’.

20 Otterbourne I, N. Mendip, Barton upon Humber.

27 Shapwick, Icklingham III, Terling.

28 Unpublished.

29 See note 2.

30 Sir Craig, John, The Mint (1953), cxvi.Google Scholar

31 Challis, C. E., The Tudor Coinage (1978), 58–60.Google Scholar

32 Craig, , op. cit. (note 30), 27.Google Scholar

33 The relevant passages are CTH. 9. 21. 5 and 9. 22. For a discussion of the correct wording of the passages, see Grierson, P. in Sutherland, C. H. V. and Carson, R. A. G. (eds.), Essays in Roman Coinage presented to Harold Mattingly (1956), 256–61.Google Scholar

34 See note 13.

35 VI. 3.