Posted on 03/22/2012 6:37:19 PM PDT by Engraved-on-His-hands
More than 30,000 silver coins have been found by archaeologists working at the site of a new city-centre hotel.
The hoard, believed to date from the third-century, was unearthed about 450 feet from the historic Roman Baths.
Experts believe the treasure trove is the fifth largest hoard ever discovered in Britain and the largest from a Roman settlement.
The coins, which have now been sent to the British Museum for further analysis, are fused together in a large block.
This makes identification and counting difficult and conservators at central London Museum expect the task of analysing the coins to take up to 12 months.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Seems like a regular occurrence in the UK. Sink a spade anywhere there and ur likely to find something. What an incredible country. Of course I make no excuses, I am an incurable Anglophile.
“the Roman Baths and Pump Room,”
First thought upon reading that was Zero and Rahm’s lifetime membership to the Man’s Country bathhouse in Chicago.
——it was a bronze coin with a thin silver wash.——
and there you have it, the key to the mystery.
Silver does not corrode and thus would not stick together, however bronze under worn silverplate will. The mass of bronze corroded to stick the coins into a mass.
My take after not having seen the mass
Maybe you know my husband. He’s going to Cambridge next weekend to deliver a paper on sceattas. Hopes to make a quick trip to Bath on Friday to visit what I call a “coin guy”.
Is “The Eagle” historically accurate, in your opinion, or Hollyweird? I view very few movies because of the junk they put out, but I like historical fiction. Would you recommend this film?
Wish I could find 30,000 silver coins in my bath.....
“Is The Eagle historically accurate, ...I like historical fiction. Would you recommend this film?”
Oh, yes. I would give this film 4 stars out of 5. As I understand, it is based on historical truth that the Roman Army lost the Eagle Standard and eventually got it back.
The main character I think is made up.
But, the acting and set is really quite good. Very entertaining and keeps your attention throughout. One of my favorites of recent years.
http://www.blinkx.com/watch-video/the-eagle-featurette/EmbjYgr74_qc4IRH6p8GUA
Thanks for the description of “The Eagle”. Will have to look for it in the Redbox machine.
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