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| "Blind monks examining an elephant", Itcho Hanabusa. |
leader, Ian Cox is quoted as saying of the three hundred low-value coins: "It was as if people had dropped them while eating and drinking and couldn't be bothered to pick them up."
My first problem with the article was that the date range of these coins was not mentioned. As the site was on a Roman road, it could have been anytime after the conquest. Further searching found an older article about the excavations that stated that the buildings were second century. That takes us from the time of Trajan to Septimius Severus. If the coins came from the end of that period, they could not have been smaller than an as, but at the beginning of that period fractions of an as down to the quarter (quadrans)were used (although they are fairly scarce at that time).
The second century saw some inflation, so without any knowledge of the date and denominations of the found coins, there is no way to tell just how low the value was. I have a hard time with the concept that the coins were of such low value that no one could bother to pick one up if it fell to the floor, and three hundred quadrans would total 75 asses (a silver denarius was worth 16 asses). If the patrons or staff couldn't be bothered to pick up such a sum, it was not a Roman Mcdonald's, it was a Roman Ritz!
My suspicion is that the patrons left the money as a formal tribute and its display encouraged further such donations. The amount of money left on display would have indicated something of the status of the establishment (and the rest could have been gathered as income). Without much more information, this is just a guess: if the coins were the later asses, then even one or two might have bought a bottle of wine or have covered a day's food expenses. Even a picture of one of the coins would have helped.
Is such reporting just sloppy, or is it because no one is interested in knowing more?
"It is thought...." is the usual excuse when the arkies don't have a clue. More likely perhaps, it was the site of a temple where coins were often thrown as votive offerings, the prime reason the archaeology lobby persuaded parliament to implement the Treasure Act. Maybe it was a Bordello...I just hope the quality of the product was better than....
ReplyDeleteDon't mean to be controversial.....
Warm good wishes
John Howland
Both possibilities, and perhaps it was just a roadside shrine. The news story just does not provide enough information. I think, too, that any problems with an interpretation should be mentioned in any report. Public interest is always greater for a mystery than a solution because we can engage with mysteries.
ReplyDeleteBest,
John
Both possibilities, and perhaps it was just a roadside shrine. The news story just does not provide enough information. I think, too, that any problems with an interpretation should be mentioned in any report. Public interest is always greater for a mystery than a solution because we can engage with mysteries.
ReplyDeleteBest,
John