Unique ID: BM-7D34D9
Workflow status: Awaiting validation
Vale of Pewsey
Broad period: ROMAN
Subperiod from: Late
Period from: ROMAN
Subperiod to: Late
Period to: ROMAN
Last ruler: Honorius (emperor)
Last Reece period: Period 21 Theodosian II (388-402)
Date from: AD 395
Date to: AD 402
Terminal reason: Date of latest coin
Rights Holder: Copyright retained by illustrator
CC License: All Rights Reserved
Our images can be used under a CC BY licence (unless stated otherwise).
The hoard consists of 23 silver miliarenses, 137 silver siliquae and one copper alloy nummus.
The siliqua was the main silver denomination of the late Roman period and the miliarensis was double this denomination. Thesewere among the last silver coins minted in the western Roman cities of the Roman Empire in the late fourth and early fifth century but continued to circulate after the collapse of Roman rule over Britain in AD 410. The silver coins listed span the period AD 337-402, ending, as is common with hoards of this date, with siliquae of Arcadius and Honorius dated to AD 395-402.
Some coins have suffered damage from ploughing, with relatively fresh breaks suggesting recent striking of the hoard. A number of these fragments join but some coins counted below remain fragmentary or incomplete, suggesting that more fragments remain in the ground. Their condition is generally good but some corrosion has occurred in the ground.
The earlier base metal nummus (AD 324-330) may have entered the circulation pool of silver coinage at some point and been deposited as part of this hoard. Equally it could be a stray find, but there were few other coins found nearby.
Siliquae of Arcadius and Honorius dated to AD 395-402 are not present in large numbers in this hoard, making up only 8% of the total number, in contrast to the later Hoxne, Suffolk hoard (Guest 2005), for example (34%), or the similarly sized contemporary hoard from near Wallingford, Oxfordshire (22%) (2019 T732, OXON-E56F02 Unpublished catalogue by E. Ghey). Most of the coins have been only lightly clipped to remove silver from the edges of the coins, unlike many hoards with a deposition date into the fifth century AD. There are also few obviously irregular coins in the group. The total weight in silver of the late Roman coins submitted is 328.76g, remarkably close to a Roman pound in silver.
Summary of late Roman coins by mint and date (mil. = miliarensis) (Full catalogue by E. Ghey on file at BM)
Issue date |
Trier |
Lyon |
Arles |
Milan |
Rome |
Aquileia |
Other |
Uncertain |
Total |
330-48 |
2 (mil.) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 (mil.) |
348-55 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 (mil) |
- |
1 (mil) |
355-64 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
11 |
364-67 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
4 |
367-75 |
12 (mil), 17 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
12 (mil), 17 |
375-8/9 |
1 (mil), 5 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
1 |
1 (mil), 8 |
378/9-388 |
2(mil), 30 |
- |
- |
- |
1 (mil), 1 |
- |
- |
- |
3 (mil), 31 |
388-95 |
35 |
3 (mil), 9 |
- |
4 |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
3 (mil), 50 |
388-402 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
395-402 |
- |
- |
- |
13 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
13 |
Undated |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 (mil) |
1 (mil) |
Total |
17 (mil), 88 |
3 (mil), 11 |
2 |
17 |
1 (mil), 5 |
2 |
1 (mil), 3 |
1 (mil), 9 |
23 (mil), 137 |
Subsequent action after recording: Submitted for consideration as Treasure
Treasure case tracking number: 2020T702
Date(s) of discovery: Saturday 12th September 2020 - Sunday 13th September 2020
Found by: This information is restricted for your login.
Recorded by: Dr Eleanor Ghey
Identified by: Dr Eleanor Ghey
Treasure case number: 2020T702
Grid reference source: From finder
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No archaeological context available.