Whenever I see one of these stories about a cache of coins turning up after 1500, 1800, 2000 years, whatever, I wonder, “How did that happen?” Anyone have a sense of the conventional wisdom on the topic? Miser buries their hoard and then dies before telling anyone where to find? Something like that?
Not all especially ancient are “hoarding”. More likely just dropped and missed.
Maybe it’s repatriation of wealth found in the tunnels under the Vatican, from when the Vatican went dark and soldiers entered, Jan 10 2021.
“Whenever I see one of these stories about a cache of coins turning up after 1500, 1800, 2000 years, whatever, I wonder, “How did that happen?”
At one schoolyard I found over $10 in quarters, all in one grassy 10 x 10 spot. I figured it was where a ticket booth or refreshment stand was set up, year after year.
One guy I know found a gold bridge, quite elaborate, in the middle of a field. We figured the farmer took it out (probably to put in a chew of tobacco), meant to stick it in his pocket and missed.
I figure these caches from Roman England are lost savings, perhaps even something hidden from the tax man, and not something hastily buried while fleeing. Because, unless I’ve got more gold than I can carry, I’m taking it with me!
Interesting question. It could be that it was illegal for a local to own gold or that much gold. It could be that the gold came from a robbery, whether carried out by a local or one of the invaders killing a fellow soldier for the loot. It could be that a local who, for example, supplied/sold food he grew to the invaders would have been set upon by his fellow countrymen as a traitor. I have no idea which among those theories (or others) is favored by the folks who deal with these finds. Those coins are spectacular, IMO.
The Romans were all over what is now England