Here is a poem by the famous English poet Thomas Hardy, who lived in Dorchester, written on a visit to Italy after visiting a Roman theater at Fiesole, outside Florence, in 1887. In The Old Theatre Fiesole by Thomas Hardy I traced the Circus whose gray stones incline Where Rome and dim Etruria interjoin, Till came a child who showed an ancient coin That bore the image of a Constantine. She lightly passed; nor did she once opine How, better than all books, she had raised for me In swift perspective Europe's history Through the vast years of Caesar's sceptred line. For in my distant plot of English loam 'Twas but to delve, and straightway there to find Coins of like impress. As with one half blind Whom common simples cure, her act flashed home In that mute moment to my opened mind The power, the pride, the reach of perished Rome. -------------------------------- Some academics who study ancient history think collecting is wrong because (they say) it promotes the looting and destruction of ancient sites. But I think Hardy was right. It is a great way to connect to antiquity. "Better than all books" is something we collectors know and academics should acknowledge.
@Valentinian can not agree more! there is an immense sense of satisfaction at least in me by acquiring every ancient coin ! The fact that it was used by ancient people and has seen the time of famous rulers and tyrants such as Nero, Caligula, etc gives amazing feeling to me. Also we should note once someone start to collect ancients it becomes very addictive hobby!
I agree with the sentiments of the poem. I believe coin collecting promotes knowledge of ancient history widely and that the coins themselves are a most interesting source of historical source material. How else would we know about Jotapianus, Regalianus and other obscure usurpers of ancient Rome? If all coins were held in museums or left in situ at an archaeological site much knowledge would be lost or at least much less widely disseminated.
The culture of a civilization is measured by its Arts, authors and poets. Indeed..How many times do we remember those poets who had spoken or uttered the very truth just like philosophers or even scientists.
Beautiful poem, @Valentinian . I can only speak for myself when I say that collecting ancient coins is not about greed, looting, and destroying. I don't think there's a single member of this forum who is not appalled at the destruction of World Heritage sites. For me, collecting ancient coins is more about loving history so much that I want to hold it in my hand. Edit 9:15 PM 6/21/18 I read the poem again and it's more beautiful the second time!
I agree with @Deacon Ray - a much bigger threat these days to world heritage sites and other archaeological treasures is extremism, which promotes a narrow world view, destruction, looting, and other calamities out of a misinterpretation of religious texts. In some cases coin collectors are keeping ancient knowledge alive and may provide a guiding light to future generations - since eventually all of the coins in our collections will be passed on to future collectors or heirs, keeping a tradition alive.
here's a poem from W.H. Auden that I've posted before Serious historians study coins and weapons Not those reiterations of one self-importance By whom they date them, Knowing that clerks could soon propose a model As manly as any of whom schoolmasters tell Their yawning pupils
