Roman Coins found at Richborough

( *« ) ROMAN COINS EOUND AT RICHBOROUGH; AND NOW IN THE POSSESSION OP MR. EDWARD GENT OP SANDWICH. BY C. ROACH SMITH, P.S.A. "WHEN, in 1850, I puhlished the Antiquities of Hichlorough, Meculver, and Lymne, I described 1279 Roman coins found at Riehborough ranging from Augustus to Constantine the Third.* They were from collections made by Mr. Rolfe and Mr. Reader. Of Mr. Reader's there were about 600 ; but he said he had given away quite as many as he retained. To these must be added over 100 collected by Mr. Rolfe after my volume was published; so that during their lives these two gentlemen collected at least 2000. Now, we have over 200 gathered together by Mr. Gent, during a not very long life, and subsequent to Mr. Rolfe and Mr. Reader: they are nearly all in good condition, and many in fine preservation. Two centuries since, Batteley wrote in his Antiquitates JBmtupmce, that coins were being found daily; and in anterior times no doubt the soil was equally productive; so it may be assumed that an enormous amount must have been exhumed. BEITISH. One specimen in silver, similar to No. 13, Plate F, in Dr. Evans's Ancient British Coins, which was found at Farley Heath. * Iu this list, the small pieces termed minimi, must he attributed to the Tetrioi. Until some large hoards were discovered in Pranoe, they were universally supposed to have been struok after the reign of Aroadius and Honorius. ROMAN COINS POUND AT RICHBOROUGH. 73 GOLD. AGBIPPIMAE AUGUSTAE; head of Agrippina. Ti. CIJAUD. CAESAE AUG. GERM., etc.; head of Claudius. In fine preservation. TIBEBIUS ; reverse, PONTEF : MAXIM : a figure seated. NERO ; rev., JUPPITEB CUBTOS ; Jupiter standing. VESPASIANUS ; rev., Titles ; a female with a cornucopia. TITUS ; rev., Cos. v.; an ox. DOMITIANUS ; rev., Cos. v.; wolf and twins. „ rev., PEINOEPS JUVENTUTIS ; a modius. „ rev., the Emperor on horseback. HADBJASTUS ; rev., Cos. in, ; the Emperor on horseback. TEAJAUUS ; rev., Titles ; two figures by an altar; in the exergue, VOTA SUSCEPTA. ANTOKDSUS Pius ; rev., figure of Victory. LuoiiiiA j rev,, VENUS ; a female holding the hastapura. Fine. COUSTANTHSTJS ; rev., VIOTOEIA AUGGG. ; the Emperor standing with a foot upon a foe, CON.OB. G-BATIAKUS ; rev., VIOTOEIA AUGG. ; two figures seated; in exergue, TEOBT. This coin, in extra fine condition, was found iu a vase at some distance from the castrum. GBATIAHUS ; rev., RESTITUTOB. EEIPUBLIC2E ; in exergue, Airac. THEODOSIUS ; rev., IMP. XXXXII COS. XTII PP. ; Eome seated with globe surmounted hy the cross. ABOADIUS ; rev., VIOTOEIA AUGGG ; COIT.OB. HONOEIUS ; rev., VIOTOEIA AUGGG ; the Emperor holding the labarum, aud with foot upon a fallen foe. LEO. I.; rev., VIOTOEIA AUGUSTOEUM ; Victory with globe and cross; a quinarius. JUSTIHUS ; rev., VIOTOEIA AUGGG. ; in exergue, CON . OB. =20. SILVER. (J. Julius Oaesar.—Vespasiauus.—JSferva, 2.—Sabiua.—L. Aelius, 2.—Commodus.—Severus, 2.—Julia Domua.—Caracalla.—Mamaea. —Sev. Alexander.—G-ordianus.—Philippus Sen., 2,—Philippus Jun.—Trajanus Decius.—Etruscilla.—Postumus, 2.—Julianus.— Magnus Maximus. =2 4 I4i ROMAN COIN'S POUND AT RICHBOROUGH. FIEST BEASS. C. JUBIUS OAESAE ; much worn. AUGUSTUS ; reverse, Julius Caesar ; much worn. OBAUDIUS ; rev., Nero Claud. Drusus Germ; the Emperor seated upon a trophy. TIBEBIUS ; rev., dementia; a head in the centre of a buckler. Erne. GABBA ; rev., S.P.Q.B. OB CIV. SEE., in a wreath. Iu fine preservation. This coin was scratched out of a hank near the cottage by a rabbit, together with a first brass of Vespasian of the Judaea Gapta type, which Mr. Gent failed to secure. VESPASIANUS ; rev., Pax Augusti, Pine. DOMITIANUS ; rev., Minerva, standing. JSTEBVA; rev., Portuna. P. E. TEAJASUS ; rev., a river god. „ rev., Titles; a figure seated before a trophy. HABEIANUS ; rev., Cos. n i . ; EXPED. ; the Emperor on horseback. Eare. Another, worn. Lucius AELIUS ; rev., Salus; a female seated. EAUSTIH-A SENIOB; rev., Aeternitas ; a figure holding a globe. MAEOUS ABBEBIUS ; much worn. VEBUS ; rev., Titles ; a trophy and captive. LUCILBA ; rev., Pecunditas; a woman seated, with three children. COMMOBUS ; rev., Victory seated; on a shield VICT. BEIT, CBODIUS ABBIBUS -, rev., Pallas; legend defaced. SEVEEUS ; rev., Adventui Aug. PeHcissimo; the Emperor on horseback, preceded by soldiers. Pine and rare. SEVEEUS ; rev., Cos. I I . P.P. ; trophy and captive. Pine. JUBIA DOMNA ; rev., MAT. AVGG. MAT. SEIST. M, PATE. ; Empress seated on a throne. Eare. GETA ; rev., Titles; two figures holding a Victory. Pine and rare. MACEINUS ; rev., a female with a caduceus and cornucopia. Eare. ABEXABDEE SEVEEUS; rev., Pides Militum; a female with two standards. JUBIA MAMAEA ; in poor condition. PAULINA ; rev., Oonseeratio; a peacock. Eare. GOEDIAUUS APEICAWUS ; two examples of this rare coin, much worn. PUMENUS ; rev., Victoria Augg.; figure of Victory. Pine and rare. GOEDIAKUS Puis; rev., Securit. Perpet. Pine. „ Another, much worn. PuiBippua SENIOE ; rev,, Milliarum Saeculum; on a cippus Cos. nr. „ rev., Aeternitas; a man upon an elephant. ROMAN COINS POUND AT RICHBOROUGH. 75 OTAOIBIA ; rev., Concordia Augg.; a figure seated on two cornucopias, MAXIMUS ; rev., Pietas Aug.; Sacrificial vessels. TBEBOSTANUS GABBUS ; rev., Votis Decennalibus, within a wreath. MESSIUS DECIUS ; rev., Principi Juventutis. Eare. VOBUSIABUS ; rev., Junoni Martiali; Juno in a temple. Eare. GABBIENUS ; rev., Jovi Conservatori; Jupiter. POSTUMUS ; rev., PM.TE.P.COS.P.P. This coin is remarkable for the youthful head of Postumus, engraved no doubt before an accredited portrait had been obtained, POSTUMUS ; rev., P.M.TE.P.II. P.P. ; a figure standing, with globe and hasta. PEOBBS ; Clementia Temp.; two figures with a Victory. JUSTINIABUS ; rev., a cross above a monogram. =42. SECOND BEASS. Marc. Antonius.—Agrippa, 3.—Augustus, 2.—Tiberius.— Drusus. — Antonia. —• Claudius. — Caligula. — Nero, 2. — Vespasianus, 2.—Domitianus.—Trajanus.—Hadrianus, 4.—Antoninus Pius, 3.—M. Aurelius, 4.—Paustina Senior.—Lucius Aelius.—Commodus. —ClodiusAlbinus.—Severus.—Geta.—Elagahalus.—Julia Maesa.— Sev. Alexander, 2.—Gordianus.—Etruscilla.—Gallienus.—Diocletianus, 2.—Domitius Domitianus.—• Constantius.—Constautinus.— Licinius.—Maziminus Daza.—Magnentius.—Julianus. =50 These are generally in good preservation; their reverses being chiefly common. The coin of Domitius Domitianus, a usurper of the time of Diocletian, is extra rare. The reverse has Genio Populi Eomani. THIRD BEASS. Germanicus.—Nero, 2.—Paustina Jun.—Gallienus.—Postumus, 3.—Salonina, 3.—Marius.—Tetrici, 2.—Victorinus.-- Claudius Gothicus, 3.—Quintillus.—Aurelianus.—Severina.—Vabalathus.— Tacitus.—Probus, 3.—-Carus, 2.—Numeriauus, 3.—Diocletianus, 3.—Maximiauus, 3.—Carausius, 8.—Allectus, 4.—Constantius, 2,— Magnentius, 2.—Licinius, 2.—Constantinus, 4.—Crispus, 2,— Julianus.—Helena.—Jovianus.—Decentius.—Gratianus.—Theodosius.— Eugenius.—Placcilla.—•Valens. —Honorius. — Justinianus. =74. 76 ROMAN COINS POUND AT RICHBOROUGH. Most in the above list are in good condition, and some have rare reverses. The Eugenius in third brass is extremely rare. Having exhausted Mr. Gent's collection, I am able to add a cut and description of a unique coin in the cabinet of Dr. Evans, President of the Society of Antiquaries and of the Numismatic Society. It is in the collection of coins found at Riehborough and ceded to Dr. Evans by the late Mr. Rolfe. It had passed unnoticed in a miscellaneous mass until it caught the eye of Mr. Arthur J. Evans, E.S.A., who has bestowed upon it the attention it deserves in a Paper of twenty-nine pages in the Numismatic Chronicle for 1887. By the kindness of the Numismatic Society, I am able to give the engraving which illustrates the Paper. The coin, at first sight, looks like a rude imitation of some of Constans or Constantius I I . ; but on close examination the inscription on the obverse reads DOMINO CARAVSIO CES ; some of the letters ligatured; that on the reverse DOMIN. . . CONTA . . . NO. The design is a distorted copy of the well-known type of coins of Constans or Constantius II. , which represents the Emperor at the prow of a galley holding a phoenix and a labarum, and steered by Victory, with the legend PEL. TEMP. REPARATIO. As Mr. Evans observes, " I t will be seen at once that, though both in its obverse and reverse designs approaching known fourth-century types, it is not a ROMAN COINS POUND AT RICHBOROUGH. 77 mere barbarous imitation of a coin of Constans or Constantius I I . It presents us, on the contrary, with a definite and wholly original legend of its own. The name of the Caesar represented is clearly given as Carausius ; but the whole character of the design and the reverse type, which only makes its appearance on the imperial dies towards the middle of the fourth century, absolutely prohibits us from attributing it to the well-known Usurper who reigned from 287 to 293, and who, moreover, always claimed the title of Augustus." The lettering on the reverse, Mr. Evans reads as CONXTA[NTI]NO for CONSTANTINO, and considers that it may refer to Constantinus the Third. It would be doing injustice to the logical and elaborate essay of Mr. Evans to give such brief extracts as the limits of this Paper would require; especially as the Numismatic Chronicle is so accessible.