This substantial edited volume is published as part of the thematic Oxford Studies on the Roman Economy series. The book represents an essential and valuable milestone in studies of hoarding trends in the Roman period. It includes several contributions published by leading experts in the field of Roman numismatics. The main strength of the work is the variety of contributions spanning different and well-connected topics.
In the introduction, which opens Part 1, ‘Approaches’, Howgego and Wilson explain the reason for publishing Coin Hoards. The book originated from a major conference of the same name held on 15 and 16 September 2016 in Oxford. This event represented a remarkable milestone in the wider research project ‘Coin Hoarding in the Roman Empire’, jointly conducted by the Ashmolean Museum and the Oxford Roman Economy Project, which involves various international research institutions. Starting from this premise, the volume seeks to introduce the project, including its research frameworks and various methodologies, by presenting a wide spread of coin hoards discovered in the western, eastern and central Roman Empire. Furthermore, it aims to identify up-to-date and reproducible statistical techniques to classify better and assess Roman coin hoards (pp. 5–7) and their distribution within the empire (p. 12, fig. 1.1).
Following the introduction, ‘Simplifying Complexity’, a theoretical contribution written by K. Lockyear, details a convenient statistical method for processing numismatic data (correspondence analysis). It can be applied and utilised without possessing a high level of understanding of statistical practice and theory. In particular, it allows for reducing the mere dimensionality of processed data, as demonstrated by the case study of coin hoards discovered in northern Gaul that is discussed by Lockyear.
E. Ghey's contribution, ‘Hoarding in Roman Britain: an Archaeological and Contextual Approach’, opens Part 2, ‘Regional Studies’. It also discusses the theoretical perspectives that inspired the research project, encompassing the contents and (more importantly) contexts of each coin hoard. Furthermore, such an analysis of finds clearly demonstrates the major spread of coin hoards between 260 and 296 ce (p. 62). The Portable Antiquities Scheme has played a crucial role in providing all the relevant data.
The second regional analysis, ‘Hoarding in Burgundy, France: Micro-Study of a Region’ by A. Hostein and P. Nouvel, explains how other similar institutional bodies for the safeguarding of antiquities, such as the Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives, could potentially contribute to the statistical assessment of Roman hoards on a regional scale. Concerning the methodology, the local project has allowed for better comprehension of the find distribution between the urban and the rural area of the Civitas Aeduorum.
A much wider perspective is offered by Mairat's contribution, ‘Coin Hoards of the Gallic Empire’, which focuses on the well-known independent territory separated by the Roman domain between 260 and 274 ce. Mairat carefully discusses the distribution of hoards containing gold, silver and bronze coins of the Gallic emperors in the vast areas of the Roman empire. Of particular interest is the case study on Hispania, which demonstrates a constant economic interaction between the Gallic headquarters and the Iberian Peninsula (pp. 98–102).
Based on a macro-regional approach, the chapter by A. Iakovidou and S. Kremydi, ‘The Interface between East and West in Hoards from Southern Greece and Macedonia’, mostly concentrates on the hoarding trends in that area during the wide time span between Augustus and Constantine. Adopting a slightly different perspective in comparison with the previous article, the spread of the hoards is outlined according to chronological order and periods (Augustus–Domitian, Nerva–Commodus, Pertinax–Carinus, Gallienus, Diocletian–Arcadius), while concluding comments pinpoint the distribution of nominal values.
‘Coin Hoards from Roman Dacia’ by C. Găzdac represents the most substantial contribution of the volume as it considers the plentiful numismatic record attested across the entire Roman region from 106 ce. It is mostly organised according to chronological order and periods. One of the outstanding strengths of Găzdac's contribution is the visual documentation (including maps and graphs), which eases understanding of the data (see also the substantial appendix on hoard structures, pp. 169–96). Interestingly, we observe that silver ‘legionary’ denarii issued by Mark Antony were still circulating and then put aside during the reign of Antoninus Pius (p. 133). Through an analysis of all the available data, Găzdac infers that circulation of denarii gradually stopped in the second half of the third century ce. On the other hand, hoards containing gold coins are extremely rare in Dacia.
Three additional regional studies are presented in Chapters 8, 9 and 10. First, I. Bonchev focuses on hoards containing provincial coins discovered in the area of Moesia Inferior. In particular, Bonchev notes how the majority of such coin hoards are concentrated in the territories close to the Black Sea during the reigns of Gordian III and Philip the Arab (p. 200, fig. 8.4), while the number of hoards drastically reduces during the reigns of Claudius Gothicus and Diocletian (p. 205, fig. 8.6). Second, J. Goldman's contribution, ‘Coin Hoarding in Roman Palestine: 63 bc–ad 300’, follows a different pattern in outlining the distribution of gold, silver, bronze and radiate coins in two time-spans, namely the early (63 bce–73 ce) and the middle Roman period (76–300 ce). Third, T. Faucher's article ‘Roman Coin Hoards from Egypt: What Next?’ addresses the spread of coin hoards in Egypt, highlighting the substantial depth of information (see, in particular, the section ‘An immense quantity of data’, pp. 225–9). Faucher explains that the assumption of E. Christiansen regarding the disappearance of bronze coins from hoards between the second half of the second century ce is still ‘unconvincing’ (p. 229).
Part 3, ‘Longevity of Circulation’, offers a series of case studies on the survival of old Roman coins in successive periods of time. B.E. Woytek details the interesting phenomenon of the so-called ‘restored’ denarii and, more generally, the longevity of Republican silver coins circulated and hoarded in the imperial period. Woytek contextualises this phenomenon by considering the historical framework and the early stages of the ‘restoration of the Republic’ tradition promoted by Augustus (p. 239). A significant portion of silver coins still circulating in the imperial age included the legionary denarii, which were successfully utilised for a long period of time (pp. 247–53). Woytek opts for a more iconographic approach to assessing the ‘typological reminiscences’ of Republican coinage in the imperial period, including an intriguing antoninianus of Gallienus showing the quadrigatus types of Janus/ROMA quadriga (pp. 254–5). Woytek concludes by stating that there are no standard or ‘monocausal’ explanations of these re-uses, but rather multiple and targeted interpretations of models.
K. Butcher and M. Ponting outline a similar phenomenon in ‘Hoarding of Denarii and the Reforms of Nero and Septimius Severus’. The chapter focuses on essential case studies, such as the Warmington hoard discovered in the Warwickshire region (United Kingdom) containing 1,100 silver denarii and coins of Nero (p. 275).
Chapter 13, by B.D.R. Hellings, details the longevity of circulation in three selected cases studies relevant to north-west Europe benefiting from a binary system (hoarded and non-hoarded coin finds) including the Neronian aurei, the ‘coin supply versus coin circulation’, and the silver and military pay provided during the Domitianic period.
A different time span is analysed in Chapter 14 by J. van Heesch. ‘The End of the Small Change Economy in Northern Gaul in the Fourth and the Fifth Centuries ad’ assesses numismatic data from the Roman regions of Belgica Prima and Secunda (Belgium) and Germania Prima and Secunda (Germany). In particular, he also focuses on the potential use of Roman coins in the Middle Ages in this vast area of the old Roman empire (pp. 297–303). R. Hobbs's ‘Forms of largitio and “Denominations” of Silver Plate in Late Antiquity: the Evidence of Flanged Bowls’ is the final contribution, outlining the relationship between the silver plate and silver coinage of the late Roman age. A particularly useful and detailed scheme (pp. 317–20) lists the imperial largitiones and the possible offers of vessels.
Additional sections complement the volume, such as the ‘List of Figures’, ‘List of Tables’ and ‘List of Contributors’. Furthermore, the index eases the cross-searching of entries, such as names of individual hoards, findspots, names of places, regions, emperors and essential topics. On the whole, the graphs, tables and pictures are well realised, organising and showing data in a clear, concise and coherent manner.
It is unfortunate that the contributions do not include abstracts. A section presenting all the abstracts would have been beneficial for providing recapitulatory summaries that readers could peruse pre-emptively before browsing the entire volume.
In conclusion, what are the strengths and best aspects of this edited volume? Aside from the above-mentioned shortcoming, which, however, does not undermine the book's value and relevance, the volume is a valuable work on a wide and complex research theme. First, it offers a substantial record of case studies assessing different periods and regional contexts in which hoarding trends are widely represented across the whole Roman empire. Second, it outlines long-standing fields of research that have been investigated and that needed to be fully summarised in an overall work. Third, it provides up-to-date analyses and syntheses of numismatic data supported by current reference lists. Therefore, the volume represents a milestone in the study of Roman hoards in which numismatists, ancient historians and archaeologists can find a mine of informative and noteworthy contributions.
