Hundreds of silver coins dating to the first century BCE have been unearthed by archaeologists from Pamukkale University.
The 2,100-year-old silver coins found in the ancient city of Aizanoi, Turkey. Image credit: Pamukkale University.
A total of 651 silver coins were found in a jug in the ancient city of Aizanoi, which is located in the present-day city of Çavdarhisar in Kütahya province, western Turkey.
They were found in 2019 during archeological excavations led by Professor Elif Özer, an archaeologist in the Department of Classical Archeology at Pamukkale University.
“Most of these coins are extremely rare. One or two examples are known to exist in collections worldwide,” Professor Özer said.
“Most of them were minted in southern Italy. It is the most special silver coin find of recent times.”
The 2,100-year-old silver coins found in Aizanoi, Turkey. Image credit: Pamukkale University.
Professor Özer and colleagues identified 439 coins from the hoard as denarii and 212 as cistophori.
They think that the coins may have been brought to Aizanoi by a high-ranking Roman soldier.
Many of the coins depict the Roman emperor Augustus, while others show Mark Antony, Julius Caesar, and Marcus Brutus.
“Among these silver coins covering the century of the Roman Republic period, there is a fake coin from that period,” Professor Özer said.
“Coins belonging to Julius Caesar and Brutus make the collection more special.”
“One type shows a scene with Aeneas — the mythological ancestor of Remus and Romulus, the founders of Rome — entering Italy.”
Source link: https://www.sci.news/archaeology/roman-silver-coins-aizanoi-turkey-09344.html
