Roman gold hoard hidden from Alans found in Spain

[guy]

A fantastic group of 53 Roman gold coins have been found off the coast of Alicante, Spain.

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“A group of 53 Roman gold coins have been discovered on the seabed off the coast of Xàbia in Alicante, southeastern Spain. They are gold solidi ranging in date from the late 4th to the early 5th century, and are in such excellent condition that all the coins but one could be identified. There are three solidi from the reign of Emperor Valentinian I [reign 364-375 AD], seven from Valentinian II [375-392 AD], 15 from Theodosius I [375-395 AD], 17 from Arcadius [383-408 AD] and 10 from Honorius [393-423 AD]."

 

https://web.ua.es/en/actualidad-universitaria/2021/septiembre2021/20-26/fifty-three-gold-coins-from-the-4th-and-5th-centuries-found-on-the-seabed-of-portitxol-in-xabia.html

It has been suggested that this was a hoard of coins that was hidden from occupation forces of Alans or another group of invading barbarian armies.

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“The historians point to the possibility that the coins may have been intentionally hidden, in a context of looting such as those perpetrated by the Alans in the area at that time.

Therefore, the find would serve to illustrate a historical moment of extreme insecurity with the violent arrival of the barbarian peoples (Suevi, Vandals and Alans) in Hispania and the final end of the Roman Empire in the Iberian Peninsula from 409 AD.”

 

Summary: This is an exciting find that may shed further light on the Roman Empire, especially the Western Empire as it was entering its death throes.

Special thanks to NewIsnewbiest and others for sharing their numismatic knowledge and insight at cointalk.com:

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/53-gold-roman-coins-valentinian-ii-theodosius-i-arcadius-honorius-found-off-spanish-coast.386799/#post-7912831

 

 

Edited February 11 by guy

[Crispina]

So, the coins were found in the remains of a ship wreck? or buried in ground that later became under water? I'm confused. 

[guy]

Thanks for reading my post. Here’s a quote from another article:

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Faced with the advance of barbarian tribes, one of these landlords “must have decided to gather the gold coins, which did not circulate but were accumulated to determine the wealth of a family.” He presumably took them out in a boat and sunk them in a chest in the bay. “And then he must have died because he did not return to retrieve them,” adds Molina [head of the excavation and professor of ancient history at the Universidad de Alicante].

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/english.elpais.com/usa/2021-09-24/amateur-divers-find-perfectly-preserved-roman-treasure-in-spain.html%3FoutputType%3Damp

 

My theory is that the coins may have been initially buried on the beach. Over time, however, as the geography changed, they have become submerged by the advancing sea.

Edited February 2 by guy

[caldrail]

What is the basis for describing this as a deliberately hidden hoard? Whilst your theory is plausible, it requires evidence of geological change. It might simply be objects lost at sea, either in transit or during a beaching operation, presumably to trade or shelter.

[sonic]

I agree that the concept of a hoard specifically sunk must remain conjecture.  I would also question whether the dating to the Alans 'or other barbarian peoples'.  The question of why such hoards are hidden remains a mystery.  If it is due to barbarian activity, it could as easily have been to the later attack of the Vandals during the reigns of Gunderic or Gaiseric.

By the way, I completely disagree with the map.  The 'barbarians' took control of parts of the provinces allotted to them, not all.