Posted on 02/25/2007 6:07:08 PM PST by blam
Find of Roman coin shows ancient Britons in a new light
By Daily Telegraph Reporter
Last Updated: 1:34am GMT 26/02/2007
Experts are excited about a rare coin unearthed by an amateur treasure hunter which could change the accepted ancient history of Britain.
The silver denarius which dates back to the Roman Republic — before Julius Caesar made Rome an empire — was unearthed near Fowey in Cornwall.
Dating from 146 BC, it shows how ancient Britons were trading with the Romans well before the country was conquered in AD 43.
"It proves that there was a lot more going on between the continent and ourselves," said Anna Tyacke, Finds Liaison Officer at the Royal Cornwall Museum.
Cornwall had trade significance because of the tin and copper it produced, but that economic activity is not well documented before the third century AD.
Coins were relatively rare, of high value and often stayed in circulation for more than 100 years — which makes dating the find harder.
Sam Moorhead, Finds Adviser of Iron Age and Roman coins at the British Museum, said: "It may have been the wages of a Roman legionnaire, who earned about 300 denarii a year in the Roman imperial period — after the conquest.
"You could probably have got about eight loaves of bread for a coin like this, or eight litres of wine.
"Vineyard labourers would have earned between a half and one denarius a day. Whereas to be a senator you had to have at least 250,000 denarii in the bank."
The silver coin was minted in Rome and carries the likeness of Roma wearing a winged helmet, plus the name of a Caius Antestius, its maker.
"Roma is a personification of Rome, rather like Britannia is a personification of Britain," Mr Moorhead explained.
The reverse of the coin carries a picture on horseback of the mythological twins Castor and Pollux, who were believed to have helped the Romans in battle.
In Brian Sykes book, "Saxons, Vikings And Celts", he thinks he's found a small DNA group that he believes could relate to the Roman occupation.
Well put.
maybe someone lost his change on the way back from the takeaway:
Boadicea May Have Had Her Chips On Site Of McDonald's
The Telegraph (UK) | 5-25-2006 | Nick Britten
Posted on 05/24/2006 11:59:01 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1637917/posts
Romans went to war on diet of pizza, dig shows.
The Scotsman | Mon 26 Aug 2002 | John Innes
Posted on 08/26/2002 5:20:42 PM EDT by vannrox
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/739684/posts
So How Far Did The Phoenicians Really Go In The Region?
Daily Star | 2-23-2004 | Peter Speetjens
Posted on 02/23/2004 8:55:51 AM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1083750/posts
and in the east:
Roman relics found near Elephanta
Daily News & Analysis | Friday, September 15, 2006 | Ninad D Sheth
Posted on 09/15/2006 3:58:33 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1702259/posts
Tamil Trade
INTAMM | 1997 | Xavier S. Thani Nayagam
Posted on 09/11/2004 8:07:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1213591/posts
Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Maritime Spice Route Between India, Egypt
Popular Science | 2-8-2004
Posted on 02/08/2004 3:57:17 PM EST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1074033/posts
Herodotus' History
The History: Thalia, the Internet Classics Archive | 440 B.C. | Herodotus, tr by George Rawlinson
Posted on 09/09/2004 10:31:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1211770/posts
The Voyage around the Erythraean Sea
Silk Road | 2004 | William H. Schoff
Posted on 09/12/2004 10:55:44 PM EDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1214273/posts
Eusebius' Onomasticon: Geographical Knowledge in Byzantine Palestine
Palestine Exploration Fund | 17 March, 2004, Last modified 30 April, 2004 | Joan E. Taylor and Rupert L. Chapman
Posted on 01/01/2005 4:36:08 AM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1311964/posts
The historian Tacitus was his son-in-law which is why we know a lot about him.
Lucca's Roman past revealed
ANSA | March 30 2006
Posted on 03/30/2006 12:34:39 PM EST by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1606221/posts
"Archaeologists have unearthed evidence of a Roman presence long before the traditonal date of Roman settlement in 180 BCE - corroborating Roman historian Livy's account of the great Carthaginian general Hannibal passing through Lucca in 217 BCE... The discovery came after other finds last year which highlighted how Lucca thrived because of its strategic position on the main road that led towards Gaul."
sidebar:
Phoenician Tombs Found In Sicily
ANSA | 8-23-2006
Posted on 08/23/2006 9:12:18 PM EDT by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1688949/posts
Ooops.
http://www.allbiographies.com/biography-GnaeusJuliusAgricola-451.html
"Roman statesman and soldier, born in Fréjus (formerly Forum Julii). Having served with distinction in Britain, Asia, and Aquitania, he was elected consul in 77, and returned to Britain (78–84) becoming Rome's longest-serving and most successful governor there. In 80 and 81 he extended Roman occupation N into Scotland, defeated Calcagus at Mons Graupius (84), and actively encouraged the development of Roman-style towns in the S. His fleet circumnavigated the coast, for the first time discovering Britain to be an island. The news of Agricola's successes inflamed the jealousy of the emperor, Domitian, and in 84 he was recalled."
If viewed in terms of today's minimum wage, that would mean senators would have to own several million dollars.
(larger image)
C Antestius, AR Denarius, 146 BC, Rome
C . ANTESTI (ANTE ligate)
Head of Roma right, wearing winged helmet, X below chin
The Dioscuri galloping right, dog running right below horses
ROMA in exergue
18mm x 20mm, 4.05g
Antestia 1; Cr 219/1e; Syd 411
"Could have been from a Roman who was a coin collector.In which case the dating had better come from something other than the coin!"
You fools. The article states the coin has the date 146BC stamped right on it!
Maybe the money was backdated to avoid the Roman IRS... ;-)
one time bump, additional info:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1791138/posts?page=33#33
Very cool.
Would be nice to have in a collection.
Does it really?
Those are gorgeous. That Roma shore looks a whole lot better than that cleopatra coin.
"Greetings, Marklar! I am Marklar! This is Marklar."
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