Last Updated: May 04, 2023, 18:24 IST
The treasure is reported to be in excellent condition. (Photo: Facebook)
The hoard is believed to be the savings of a soldier who fought in the social war and perhaps in the conflict between Silla and the Marians.
Discovering an archaeological treasure is always exciting, and the latest find in Livorno, Italy, is no exception. A member of the Livorno Paleontological Archaeological Group stumbled upon 175 silver denarii in the Bellavista Insuese Estate, a naturalistic area of agricultural and forestry interest. Dating to the late Republican age, the treasure is in great condition, with only a few fractured coins that can be reassembled, according to a post made on Facebook. The denarii in the hoard can be dated between 157-156 BC and 82 BC, with the maximum concentration of coins occurring during the years of the social bellum between 91 and 88 BC.
The Facebook post also mentioned that the study of the material took more than a year and was done in collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Livorno and cultural volunteers associated with the museum. The Paleontological Archaeological Group of Livorno also played a crucial role in documenting the find, from the measurement to the weighing and photographic documentation of all the coins.
“The Paleontological Archaeological Group of Livorno has in fact collaborated for the logistics of all the operational phases, from the measurement to the weighing and photographic documentation of all the coins up to the drafting of the catalog together with the archaeologist official of the Superintendence, the planning and preparation of the exhibition,” the Facebook post mentioned.
The treasure is believed to be the savings of a soldier who had fought in the social war and perhaps in the conflict between Silla and the Marians. After returning home, the soldier may have hidden the silver money under a tree in the nearby forest, never to return and retrieve it.
Social media users had diverse reactions and thoughts on the archaeological discoveries. There were some questions and curiosities about the value and ownership of such treasures. Some expressed their desire to want to see more of the finds. “Well, how much was the discovery worth, and did the finder get to keep it or get reimbursed?” a user commented.
“I love these kinds of articles, there’s a bunch to read with no value of find and of course, the finder doesn’t really get coin value or anything in some cases for the find, should have just kept it or handed it down to the next family generation,” another user wrote.
“I would have liked to see more photos of the coins,” a user commented.
Meanwhile, Federico Santangelo, a historian, and head of Classics and Ancient History at Newcastle University in the UK, suggested that the hoard may have been buried by a businessman who wanted to protect his money during turbulent times, reported Live Science. He stated that he does not believe the coins can be traced back to a soldier, although it is theoretically possible. Santangelo, who was not involved in the discovery, explained that the chronologies of similar coin hoards indicate that many were buried during wars and periods of instability. He added that during times of crisis, some people hid their money but were unable to retrieve it for various reasons.
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