THE

JOURNAL
OF
ARCHOLOGICAL
NUMISMATICS
VOLUME 4 2014

CEN - BRUXELLES

CEN
EUROPEAN CENTRE FOR NUMISMATIC STUDIES
CENTRE EUROPEN DTUDES NUMISMATIQUES
BRUXELLES
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Jean-Claude THIRY
Vice-president
Henri POTTIER
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Our Publications
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THE JOURNAL OF ARCHOLOGICAL NUMISMATICS

Editorial Board
Chairman
Jean-Marc DOYEN (PhD, UMR 8164 HALMA, Universit de Lille 3 CReA-Patrimoine, Universit libre de Bruxelles)
Members of the editorial board
Thibault CARDON (MA, CRH-GAM, Ehess)
Xavier DERU (PhD, matre de confrences, Universit de Lille 3)

Vincent GENEVIVE (MA, INRAP, ITEM EA 3002, Pau)

Stphane MARTIN (PhD, UMR 8210ANHIMA, EPHE Paris)

Layout
Francis DIEULAFAIT (DEA,

TRACES UMR 5608, Toulouse)

Scientific Committee
Honorary President
Richard REECE (PhD, University of London)
Marc BOMPAIRE

Prof. Dr. Fleur KEMMERS

Directeur de recherches au CNRS

Prof. Aleksander BURSCHE

Professor at the Warsaw University

Laurent CALLEGARIN

Celtic numismatist,
Oxford Institute of Archology

Jens Christian MSGAARD

Assistant Keeper,
Royal Coll. of Coins & Medals, Copenhagen

Matre de confrences
(ITEM EA 3002, Pau)

Sylvia NIETO-PELLETIER

Dr. Simon ESMONDE CLEARY

Charge de recherches au

Professor of Roman Archology,

University of Birmingham

DE

Orlans

Museum Augusta Raurica, Augst

Associate Professor, Department of

Classics and Ancient History,
University of Warwick

PALENCIA

Curator of the Museu

de Prehistria de Valncia

Helle W. HORSNS

Senior researcher,
Curator of Ancient coins,
The National Museum of Denmark

Clive STANNARD
Honorary Visiting Fellow,
University of Leicester

Prof. Dr. Lucia TRAVAINI

CNRS,

Dr. Markus PETER

Dr. Suzanne FREY-KUPPER

Dr. Manuel GOZALBES FERNNDEZ

Dr. John SILLS

Jun. Prof. at the Goethe Univ.,

Frankfurt/Main

Jean-Michel POISSON
Matre de confrences lEHESS, Paris

Laurent POPOVITCH
Matre de Confrences,
Universit de Bourgogne

Michel REDD
Directeur dtudes lEPHE, Paris

Dr. Pere Pau RIPOLLS ALEGRE

Catedrtic dArqueologa,
Universitat de Valncia
Front cover: photos Th. Cardon

Professore associato,
Universit degli Studi di Milano

Prof. Dr. Johan

VAN

HEESCH

Curator of the Coin Cabinet,

Royal Library of Belgium, Brussels

Prof. Dr. Koenraad VERBOVEN

Prof. of Ancient History,
University of Ghent

Dr. David WIGG-WOLF

Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter,
Rmisch-Germanische Kommission (RGK)

Dr. Marcin WOLOSZYN

Institute of Archology & Ethnology,
Polish Academy of Science, Krakw

SOCIAL MEMORY AND STATUTE.

ROMAN COINS IN MEDIEVAL GRAVES FROM THE
NECROPOLIS NOLAC, ROMANIA
Cristian Gzdac*, Clin Cosma**
Rsum Les recherches dans les rserves du National History Museum of Transylvania Cluj-Napoca,
Roumanie, ont men la redcouverte de sept monnaies romaines.
Leur lieu de dcouverte sest rvl dun grand intrt tant donn que les tiquettes en papier faisaient rfrence
la clbre ncropole du haut Moyen ge des 6e et 7e s. de Nolac, comt dAlba, Roumanie.
Malgr de nombreux rapport consacrs ce site, les monnaies nont jamais t tudies. Aprs restauration,
elles se sont rvl tre des pices de Nron, Vitellius, Hadrien (pour Sabine), Antonin le Pieux, Marc Aurle
(faux ancien), Marc Aurle (pour Faustine II), Gordien III.
Lanalyse numismatique des contextes archologiques joints linventaire des dpts funraires a montr que
ces sept monnaies provenaient de tombes de guerriers. De mme, ltude indique que les monnaies de bronze
proviennent de tombes faiblement dotes alors que les trois monnaies dargent sont issues dune tombe plus
riche. Ds lors, nous sommes en prsence dun phnomne qui attribue la monnaie romaine un statut social
lorsquelles sont rutilises non plus avec une fonction conomique mais bien pour construire une mmoire
sociale.
Abstract The investigations in the store room of the National History Museum of Transylvania in Cluj-Napoca,
Romania, has led to the re-discovery of seven Roman coins.
Their findspots has raised quite a level of interest as the findspot mentioned on the paper labels was the well-known
early medieval necropolis of the 6th-7th centuries of Nolac, Alba County, Romania.
Despite numerous archaeological reports on this site these coins were never studied. After being restored they
proved to be coins of Nero, Vitellius, Hadrian (for Sabina), Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius (ancient fake),
Marcus Aurelius (for Faustina II), Gordianus III.
The coins analysis within the archaeological context and together with the funerary inventory has proved that all
the seven coins come from warriors graves. At the same time, it shows that the bronze coins were found in those
graves with a poorer inventory than the 3 silver coins found in one grave with a richer inventory.
Therefore we deal here with a phenomenon of coin as a sign for social statute when the Roman coins is re-used not
as an economic function but to build a social memory.

he research on the archaeological

material kept in the museums store
rooms has frequently provided important
information regarding historical aspects
on the site they came from. Furthermore,
the publication of these materials has been
proved very useful for the scholarly interest.
The present paper presents such a case.
Although it does not pretend to be anything
else than a limited case-study, it goes to
show that contextual information can be
retrieved from old and poorly documented

excavations: such material must not be

overlooked.
The artefacts under discussion are some
Roman coins found in inhumations dated
in the 6th-7th centuries within the necropolis
of Nolac, County of Alba, Romania
(fig.1-2)[1].

* Institute of Archaeology and Art History ClujNapoca, Romania, University of Cluj-Napoca,

cgazdac2000@yahoo.co.uk.

180

As it is a well-known fact the coins are

considered by archaeologists as a special
category of artefacts. The coinage has
chronological historical and documentary
values while the coin production and
consumption involve all the society levels
(Kemmers & Myrberg 2011, p. 89).There
fore, at the first sight, the publication of the
coins under study may lead us to the idea of
recent archaeological discoveries. Still, these
coins were found during the excavations of
1961-1962 within the Necropolis of Nolac!
These coins were found together with other
artefacts from the same necropolis in the
store room of the National History Museum
of Transylvania from Cluj-Napoca.
The reading of previous bibliography on
the archaeological campaigns from those
years have revealed the absence of these coins
in those reports (Rusu 1962, p. 269-292 ;
Rusu 1964, p. 32-45 ; Popescu 1962, p.212,
n 96 ; Popescu 1963, p. 461 ; Popescu 1964,
p. 563, n 93 ; Popescu 1965, p. 595, n62;
Moga & Ciugudean (eds.) 1995, p. 129131, n 124). On the other hand, another
Roman coin, of Elagabalus[2], is mentioned
as coming from grave n 44 of the same
necropolis from Nolac[3]. Today, this coin
could not be retrieved among the artefacts.
The state of preservation of these coins at the
moment when they have been re-discovered
in the museum store room indicates the fact

** Institute of Archaeology and Art History ClujNapoca, Romania, cosma.calin@yahoo.com.

Owing to the poor condition of preservation and
storage of material, and, on the other side, the loss
of the original documentation, currently, there is
a project trying to recover, where possible, the
information and material from the necropolis of
Noslac , including the original documentation, in
order to publish a monographic work.

[1]

that these pieces did not suffer a restoration

process after being discovered at the site.
Therefore, it is our duty to place these
coins within the scientific environment by
publishing the catalogue.
Catalogue of the coins (fig. 3-6)
Grave n 29
1. HADRIANUS for Sabina, unknown mint,
AD 117-138.
SABINAAVGVSTA/HADRIANIAVGPP
Diademed bust, right.
PVDI/CITIA
Pudicitia standing left, holding veil.
Denarius, plated : 1,7 g ; 6 ; 18,3 mm.
Cf. RIC II, p. 388, no 407.
Nolac 1962, necropolis, Hrstans pit .

Grave n 41
2. ANTONINUS PIUS, Rome, AD 158-159.
ANTONINVSAVGPI/VSPPTRPXXII
Head laureate, right.
TEMPLDIVAVGESTCOSIIII S/C
Octastyle temple with the statues of Divus
Augustus and Livia.
As: 11,3 g ; 6 ; 24,4 x 22 x 6 mm.
RIC III, p. 151, no 1024.
Nolac 1961, necropolis, Hrstans pit .

Grave n 58
3. GORDIANUS III unknown mint, AD 241243 or later.

No further details provided by the author.

[2]

Rusu 1962, p. 274 ; Rusu 1964, p. 37. For lack of

details, this coin is not included in the following
catalogue.

[3]

181

IMPGORDIANVSPIVSFELAVG
Radiate bust, draped and cuirassed, right.
IOVI/STATORI
Jupiter standing right, holding sceptre and
thunderbolt.
Antoninianus, plated : 3,8 g ; 12 ; 19,8 mm.
Cf. RIC IV.3, p. 25, no 84.
Nolac 1961, necropolis, Hrstans pit .

7. MARCUS AURELIUS, unknown mint, AD

180 or later.

Grave n 93

4. MARCUS AURELIUS for Faustina II,

Pautalia Thraciae, AD 161-180.
FAVCTINA/CEBACTH
Draped bust, right.
OVLIACPAVTALIAC
Tyche standing left, holding rudder and
cornucopia.
Ae : 4,9 g ; 7 ; 19.6 mm.
Moushmov 1912, no 4114 ; RPC IV, Temp no 8834.
Nolac 1961, necropolis, Hrstans pit .

Grave n 102
5. NERO, Rome, AD 67-68.
IMPNEROCAESAR/AVGPP
Head laureate, right.
SA/LVS (in field)
Salus seated left on throne, holding patera.
Denarius : 3,1 g ; 5 ; 19 x 16.5 mm.
RIC I2, p. 175, no 411.
Nolac 1962, necropolis, Hrstans pit .
Remark : on the obverse, the mark from a later
metal control.

6. VITELLIUS, Rome, AD 69.

AVITELLIVSGERM[
Head bare, right.
FIDES/EXERCITVVM (in field)
Clasped hands.
Denarius : 2,8 g ; 12 ; 18.5 x 17.4 mm.
RIC I2, p. 271, no 67.
Nolac 1962, necropolis, Hrstans pit .
Remark : on the obverse, the mark from a later
metal control.

]ANTONINVSAVG
Bust laureate and draped, right
]RPXXXIIIIIM/P/XCOSIIIPP
Victory standing left, on globe, holding wreath
and palm.
Denarius, plated : 2,1 g ; 5 ; 16.9 x 15.5 mm.
Cf. RIC III, p. 245, no 411.
Nolac 1962, necropolis, Hrstans pit .
Remark : A finger print of the ancient forger is
partially preserved on the obverse.

As it is mentioned above, the coins come

from a necropolis dated in the 6th-7th
centuries and located in the western part of
the locality of Nolac ; 125 graves are known
so far (fig. 2).
From the numismatic point of view
these pieces are issues of the Roman state
members of the imperial house, civic
issuer the city of Pautalia in Thrace
(nowadays, Kyustendil, Bulgaria) and an
ancient fake the coin portraying Marcus
Aurelius. Except the faked coin, the others
are frequently found within Roman sites
and necropolises, as they are denomination
regularly issued. The faked coin presents
a specific feature that will be discussed in
a separate study (Gzdac & Cosma 2014,
forthcoming).
However, a particular aspect about these
Roman coins is the way of distribution
in these early medieval graves. Only one
Roman bronze coin was found in graves
n29, 41, 58 and 93. It must be mentioned
here that the coins from graves no 29 and
58 are plated ones. Although they were
officially issued as silver denominations
either by an official mint or a clandestine
workshop only the bronze core survived
while the silver foil has vanished. On the
other hand, the grave n 102 had three
Roman coins, all of silver even the faked
coin has a silver surface.
Could this aspect be a consequence of
a simple fortunate situation when the

182

decedent have found better coins than the

others or the higher number and the better
metal of coins represent marks of a higher
social statute ?
The comparative analyse of coins and
other artefacts coming from this graves
may offer explanations of socio-historical
nature. Apart from the studied coins, the
investigation in the store room of the
history museum in Cluj-Napoca have also
brought to light a series of artefacts coming
from the same necropolis. Fortunate
enough, the original labels with the grave
number were still attached to the artefacts.
Therefore, we were able to correlate the
coins with the artefacts coming from the
same grave[4]. This advantage allowed us to
reach some conclusions :
1. all three graves that provided us with
both coins and other artefacts belonged
to warriors as demonstrated by the
presence of spearheads, arrow heads
and sword blades (fig. 3-6).
2. the comparative analyse between coins
and graves inventory points out that
grave no. 102 belonged to an individual
with a higher social position that the
other three decedents: silver coins only,
funerary inventory of higher quality
(design and metal, silvered bronze)
(fig.3-6).
The second conclusion confirms the theory
of metal language where the superior
metal (gold, silver) symbolises authority/
sovereignty (Kurke 1999, p. 25, 53). At the
same time, the quality of metal based on its
colour marks the social difference : reddishbrownish [bronze] coins is picked up for
those placed on a lower hierarchic statute ;
white-silver coins for those of a higher social
[4]

statute (Kemmers & Myrberg 2011, p. 9596).

Practically, in this case, the coinage loses
its economical function and becomes a
symbol of a certain social statute.
Roman coins of the 2nd-3rd centuries AD are
very scarcely discovered on the Romanian
intra-Carpathian territory. A plated denarius
depicting emperor Commodus was found
in a grave from a necropolis dated in the
8th-9th centuries AD at Timioara - Modo
Bridge[5].
Coins issued in the 4th century AD and
Byzantine period are more frequently
discovered on this area (Lakatos 2002, p.
237-256 ; Mustea 2008, p. 119-162). The
explanation comes from the historical
background. The territory of the former
Roman province of Dacia was abandoned
around AD 270. The 4th century have
witnessed the temporary returned of
Roman authority on the left bank of the
Lower Danube at the same time with a
large quantity of bronze coin production
following the strong monetary debasement
that will end with the replace of Roman with
the Byzantine monetary system.
The presence of Roman coins in early
medieval graves are frequently found across
Europe, especially on the area of the former
Roman Empire[6].
As source of provenance such Roman
coins were found by chance by the medieval
individuals within the abandoned Roman
settlements. In the case of the Roman coins
from graves of the 6th-7th centuries AD from
Bejan 1983, p. 489 ; Bejan 1995, p. 79. In a
more recent publication this coin is no longer
mentioned among the funerary inventory of
the graves from the Modo Bridge, Mare 2004,
p.125-126.

[5]

To cite but a few works were available to us when

preparing this work for publication : Longobards
graves (Travaini 2004, p. 159-181) ; Switzerland
(Martin 1991) ; Anglo-Saxon graves (White
1988).

[6]

Except for the grave n93 where the artefacts

other than the coin have not been yet identified.

183

Nolac such a source was, most likely, the

Roman settlement of the 2nd-3rd centuries
AD located in the close vicinity of the
necropolis under study at the spot known
as umughi (Popescu 1964, p. 563,
n93 ; Popescu 1965, p. 595, n 62; Moga &
Ciugudean (eds.) 1995, p. 131)..
As it has been demonstrated, the use of
Roman coins in early medieval grave is
the proof of a social memory (Eckhard
& Williams 2003, p. 163-165 ; Kemmers
& Myrberg 2011, p. 100). Although there
was no biographic/ancestral link between
the medieval people and the Roman
coins they found, these pieces were,
for certain, very attractive due to their
imagery and letters that conferred them
some apotropaic characteristics. Thus, this
numismatic material has raised and shaped
a social memory of the dead within a
community which it was in a full process of
development (Kemmers & Myrberg 2011,
p. 100). Paradoxically, the social memory
raised through artefacts that had no
historical connection with the past of these
communities objects without a past
(Eckhard & Williams 2003, p. 165).

Gzdac & Cosma 2014

Cr. Gzdac & C. Cosma, A Counterfeiters

Fingerprint on a Forged Denarius of Marcus

Aurelius. NC 174, 2014, p. 125-128, pl. 17-19.

Kemmers & Myrberg 2011

Fl. Kemmers & N. Myrberg, Rethinking

numismatics. The archaeology of coins.

Archaeological Dialogues 18 (1), 2011, p. 87-108.

Kurke 1999
L. Kurke, Coins, Bodies, Games, and Gold:

The Politics of Meaning in Archaic Greece.

Princeton, 1999.

Lakatos 2002
A. Lakatos, Monede bizantine din perioada

avar n Transilvania, vestul i nord-vestul

Romniei. Ephemeris Napocensis 12, 2002,
p. 37-256.

Mare 2004
M. Mare, Banatul ntre secolele IV-IX.

Timioara, 2004.

Martin 1991
M.
Martin,

Das
sptrmischfrhmittelalterliche Grberfeld von Kaiseraugst, Kt.
Aargau. Teil A: Text. Derendingen, 1991.

Moga & Ciugudean (eds.) 1995

V. Moga & H. Ciugudean, Repertoriul

Bibliography

arheologic al judeului Alba. Alba Iulia, 1995.

Bejan 1983
A. Bejan, Necropola de inhumaie de sec.

VIII-IX de la Timioara - Podul Modo. Acta

Musei Napocensis 20, 1983, p. 489-498.

Bejan 1995
A. Bejan, Banatul n secolele IV-XII.

Timioara, 1995.

Eckhard & Williams 2003

H. Eckhardt & H. Williams, Objects

without past? The use of Roman objects in

early Anglo-Saxon graves. In: H. Williams
(ed.), Archaeologies of remembrance. Death
and memory in past societies. New York, 2003,
p.141-170.

Moushmov 1912
N.A. Moushmov, Ancient Coins of the Balkan

Peninsula. Sofia, 1912.

Mustea 2008
S. Mustea, Prezena monedei bizantine

n bazinul Carpailor i la nordul Dunrii

Inferioare n secolele VIII-IX. Arheologia
Moldovei 31, 2008, p. 119-162.

Popescu 1962
D. Popescu, Spturile arheologice din

Republica Popular Romn n anul 1961. Studii

i Cercetri de Istorie Veche i Arheologie 13 (1),
1962, p. 201-215.

184

Popescu 1963
D. Popescu, Spturile arheologice din

Republica Popular Romn n anul 1962. Studii

i Cercetri de Istorie Veche i Arheologie 14/2,
1963, p. 451-466.

Popescu 1964
D. Popescu, Spturile arheologice din

Republica Popular Romn n anul 1963. Studii

i Cercetri de Istorie Veche i Arheologie 15/4,
1964, p. 551-567.

Popescu 1965
D. Popescu, Spturile arheologice din

Republica Socialist Romnia n anul 1964.

Studii i Cercetri de Istorie Veche i Arheologie
16/3, 1965, p. 587-605.

RIC
H. Mattingly, E.A. Sydenham, C.H.V.

Sutherland, R.A.G. Carson (ed.), The Roman

Imperial Coinage, London, 1923-ongoing.

RPC IV
Chr. Howgego & V. Heuchert (ed.), Roman

Provincial Coinage IV. The Antonines (AD 138192), online database: http://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.
uk/ (consult le 11 octobre 2015).

Rusu 1962
M. Rusu, The prefeudal cemetery of Nolac

(VIth-VIIth centuries), Dacia. N.S. 6, 1962, p. 69292.

Rusu 1964
M. Rusu, Cimitirul prefeudal de la Nolac.

List of Figures
Fig.1 The location of the locality of
Nolac (Google Earth).
Fig.2 The location of the early medieval
necropolis from Nolac (based on Google
Earth).
Fig.3 Grave 29 : 1. Plated denarius,
Hadrianus for Sabina ; a. spearhead,
iron; b. fragments of ribbings, iron ;
c.sword blade, iron.
Fig.4 Grave 41 : 2. As, Antoninus Pius;
a. sword blade, iron ; b fragments of
knives blades, iron.
Fig.5 Grave 58 : 3. Plated
antoninianus, Gordianus III ; a. sword
blade, iron ; b. unidentified fragments of
iron.
Fig.6 Grave 102 : 5-7. Denarii, silver:
Nero, Vitellius, M. Aurelius (ancient
fake) ; a-b. spearheads, iron ; c-e. strapends ; f-i, hair clips, bronze.

Probleme de Muzeografie. Cluj, 1964.

Travaini 2004
L. Travaini, Saints and Sinners Coins in

Medieval Italian Graves. NC 164, 2004, p. 159181.

White 1988
R. White, Roman and Celtic objects from

Anglo-Saxon graves. A catalogue and an

interpretation of their use. BAR BS 191, Oxford,
1988.

185

Fig.1

Fig.2
186

Fig.3
187

Fig.4
188

Fig.5
189

Fig.6
190

THE JOURNAL OF ARCHOLOGICAL NUMISMATICS

VOLUME 42014
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLES
Vincent Genevive
De Vieille-Toulouse Tolosa : le grand dmnagement des annes
10-5 av. J.-C.

Jean-Patrick Duchemin, Hlne Duvivier & Guillaume Florent

avec la collaboration de Julie Delas
Le trsor montaire de Bierne-Socx (Nord, France): un dpt de bronzes
du Haut-Empire dcouvert en contexte archologique

27

Thibault Cardon* & Frdric Lemaire

Les sous des soldats de Napolon au camp de Boulogne (1803-1805). tude
des monnaies issues des fouilles des camps napoloniens dtaples-sur-Mer
et Camiers (Pas-de-Calais, France)

67

NOTICES
Henri Pottier
Numismatics and statistics: impact of sample size on 95% confidence
intervals for mean values

177

Cristian Gzdac, Clin Cosma

Social memory and statute. Roman coins in medieval graves from
the necropolis Nolac, Romania

182

REVIEWS
Michael Alram & Franziska Schmidt-Dick (d.) Numismatica
Carnuntina. Foschungen und Material (Jean-Marc Doyen)

193

Richard Hobbs Currency and exchange in ancient Pompeii. Coins from

the AAPP excavations at Regio VI, Insula I (Stphane Martin)

200

Sophia Kremydi-Sicilianou Multiples concealments from

the sanctuary of Zeus Olympios at Dion. Three Roman provincial
coin hoards (Jean-Marc Doyen)

204

Jrmie Chameroy Les fouilles de la cathdrale de Rouen (1985-1993) sous

la direction de Jacques Le Maho. Tome 1. Le numraire antique (Jean-Marc
Doyen)

209

Vicki Score (dir.) Hoards, hounds and helmets. A conquest-period ritual

site at Hallaton, Leicestershire (Jean-Marc Doyen)

216

CERCLES DTUDES NUMISMATIQUES

RGION DE BRUXELLES-CAPITALE BRUSSELS HOOFDSTEDELIJK GEWEST