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Roman Silver Hoard: Germany's Largest Coin Find!
22 Sep
Summary
- 934 Roman silver coins were discovered south of Cologne.
- The hoard, buried in the second century AD, weighs 3.1kg.
- A legionary would save disposable income for six years to amass this.
- This find is the largest Roman coin treasure from Hadrian's era in Germany.
- The coins were likely buried for safekeeping due to lack of banks.
An amateur archaeologist's discovery of Roman silver coins in western Germany has led to the unearthing of Germany's largest coin hoard from the time of Emperor Hadrian. Found near Wesseling, south of Cologne, the treasure consists of 934 Roman silver denarii, weighing a total of 3.1kg.
The collection was likely buried deliberately in the second quarter of the second century AD. Archaeologists speculate the owner intended to keep the wealth safe, as formal banking systems were non-existent during that period. The reason for the treasure not being recovered remains unknown, possibly due to the owner's untimely death.
This extensive hoard from the second century AD is significant, as few comparable finds exist from that era. To contextualize its value, a Roman legionary earned approximately 300 denarii annually. After essential deductions for provisions, it would have taken a soldier about six years of saving his entire disposable income to accumulate such a sum.
