A cache of Roman coins dating to the end of the 3rd century AD
During the final weeks of the excavation the archaeologists also found a cache of Roman coins dating to the end of the 3rd century AD which were buried in a pit sealed with tiles.
The small bronze coins were of an ‘unofficial’ type, like many that circulated during the troubled period of the second half of the 3rd century/early 4th century. Internal wars and conflict between contenders to the emperor’s throne, epidemics, the financial burdens of sustaining a large army, pressures at the borders of the Empire, economic crisis, and a host of other troubles meant the Empire was in crisis at this time.
The Roman State was no longer capable of fully ensuring the long-term control of the monetary system. Small bronze mintings of little value appeared, which specialists would call “necessity coins”. The intent was not to deceive but to serve as spendable cash within the local economy. Though produced by private citizens, they were more or less tolerated by the State.
They were however poor imitations of the official productions and the effigies are difficult to identify. The coins discovered at Autun resemble typical 3rd century ones, such as those of Tetricus. Due to the high copper content of the deposit, the wicker basket in which they were stored is partially preserved.
Though this assemblage would have had a reasonable valuable, it does not seem to have been a hidden treasure, but rather a deposit of debased coins destined to be recast. The pit is in fact located within one of the metallurgy workshops revealed at the site.
In effect, to re-establish a healthy monetary economy, some emperors launched reforms and attempted to replace the ancient coins that had no value other than that of their metal. The monetary deposit of Autun is perhaps linked to the reforms of Diocletian under the Tetrarchy (late 3rd century-early 4th century).
These numismatic artefacts will contribute to an understanding of unofficial mints and the phenomena of debasement and recasting of coins during the Empire. They join the approx. 300 other Roman coins—mostly bronze—discovered elsewhere on the site.
