Precious Treasure From Emperor Constantine's Time Discovered After 1700 Years
An amateur archaeologist has managed to make an extraordinary discovery - a precious treasure from the time of Emperor Constantine.
The trove was found in central Switzerland, and it is a very valuable rare hoard from the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine I, which spanned from 306 to 337 AD.
The unusual treasure contains 1290 coins and was buried near Wildenstein Castle near Bubendorf.
Initially, the archaeologist found a few Roman coins and then stumbled upon a broken vessel filled with 1,700-year-old artifacts. Experts were able to dig the pottery remains out of the ground after some digging.
The total number of coins, after the complete hoard was excavated, is 1,290, all made of copper. Their value at that time, in the 4th century, was equivalent to one solidus of gold or roughly the value of a Roman legion soldier's two months' salary.
What makes the hoard so unusual is that it was buried during a period of political and economic stability, experts say. Fourth-century coin hoards were usually hidden during troubled times, but Emperor Constantine's reign was not among them.
It seems, archaeologists believe, that this hoard was buried for other reasons. One possibility is that it was a religious offering because the site where it was discovered was on the border between three known Roman domains, so it may have represented a sacrifice on the borderline.
The trove was found in central Switzerland, and it is a very valuable rare hoard from the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine I, which spanned from 306 to 337 AD.
The unusual treasure contains 1290 coins and was buried near Wildenstein Castle near Bubendorf.
The Discovery Of An Ancient Treasure
The hoard was discovered by Daniel Ludin, an amateur archaeologist that was using a metal detector. He later notified officials at the Baselland archaeology department's heritage canton, according to The History Blog.Initially, the archaeologist found a few Roman coins and then stumbled upon a broken vessel filled with 1,700-year-old artifacts. Experts were able to dig the pottery remains out of the ground after some digging.
The total number of coins, after the complete hoard was excavated, is 1,290, all made of copper. Their value at that time, in the 4th century, was equivalent to one solidus of gold or roughly the value of a Roman legion soldier's two months' salary.
The Hoard Is From Emperor Constantine's Time
All the coins discovered were minted during the reign of the Roman Emperor Constantine I (306 - 337 AD), and the most recent of them dates from 332-335 AD.What makes the hoard so unusual is that it was buried during a period of political and economic stability, experts say. Fourth-century coin hoards were usually hidden during troubled times, but Emperor Constantine's reign was not among them.
It seems, archaeologists believe, that this hoard was buried for other reasons. One possibility is that it was a religious offering because the site where it was discovered was on the border between three known Roman domains, so it may have represented a sacrifice on the borderline.
