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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;randygeki, post: 1677772, member: 13719&quot;]Some more info on the hoard</p><p><br /></p><p><i>&quot;</i></p><p><i>Coin Types</i></p><p><i>The AD 348 reform of the coinage by Constantius II saw the introduction of three different reverse types all with the reverse legend Fel(icium) Temp(orum) Reparatio (Happy Times Restored), probably linked into the commemoration of the 1100th anniversary of Rome’s foundation. All three types are well represented in the hoard, with the mint at Trier being the largest supplier.</i></p><p><i>The coinage of Magnentius begins with reverse types that copy those of Constantius II before the introduction of new types like GLORIA ROMANORUM (horseman), Two Victories and most notably the Chi-Rho types for which he is best known. These later types were also struck by his junior colleague Decentius. An innovation in this reign was the striking on new larger Double Centenionalis with the Chi-Rho reverse and the opening of a new mint at Ambianum (Amiens in northern France). This town was allegedly his birthplace but also provided some security against wavering loyalty to his regime at the main mint town of Trier. Indeed, late in the life of the rebellion a certain ‘Poemenius’ struck Double Cententionalii with the Chi-Rho reverse in the name of Constantius II at Trier, as the city switched sides. Another visible departure from the coinage of Constantius II and his predecessors is the bare headed portrait as opposed to the diademed one.</i></p><p><i>The hoard ends with issues of Constantius II and his junior colleague Gallus of the Fel Temp Repartio (Falling horseman) type, many struck at the mint if Ambianum which remained in operation for about a year after the fall of it’s founder Magnentius.</i></p><p><i>Almost 25% of the hoard were imitative types, this is a common feature of other Magnentian Hoards and illustrates how quickly the forgers took up the new types.</i></p><p><i>Historical Background – The Revolt of Magnentius</i></p><p><i>In A.D. 350 the Roman Empire was ruled by the two remaining sons of Constantine the Great, Constantius II and his younger brother Constans. Responsible for the western provinces, Constans increasingly cruel, corrupt and unpopular reign inspired a coup amongst the political and military elite led by Marcellinus the comes Largitionum (chief finance minister). Flavius Magnus Magnentius commander of the Ioviani and Herculiani elite guard units was elevated to the rank of augustus by the coup leaders. A native of Amiens and reputedly the son of a Romano-British father and a Frankish mother he quickly took control of Britain, Gaul, Spain and for a period of time Rome. From the position of a slave in the service of Constantine I, he had quickly risen in the military ranks and must have been a very capable individual despite the hostile opinions of later Roman historians. Constans fled and was killed as he attempted to cross the Pyrenees.</i></p><p><i>A pragmatic pagan, Magnentius chose to exploit the theological divide between Orthodox (more like modern Roman Catholic) Christians, many of which were to be found in the western provinces and the followers of the sect called Arianism, of which Constantius II himself was a supporter. The overt use of the Chi-Rho on his later issues, especially on the Double Cententionalii but also as a minor device on other issues is evidence of this. In addition his portraiture is bare headed and not diademed, imagery more reminiscent of Christ. The chief divergence between the Orthodox and Arian creeds is centered on the exact nature and relationship between the elements of the Holy Trinity, (&#039;God the Father&#039;, &#039;God the Son&#039; and &#039;God the Holy Spirit&#039;), in short the divinity of the ‘man’ Jesus Christ as opposed to &#039;God the Father&#039; and the ‘Holy Spirit’. He also removed the ban on some pagan practices and was clearly looking for support wherever it could be found.</i></p><p><i>Decentius, possibly the brother of Magnentius was raised to the rank of Caesar early in A.D. 351 at Milan, in response to the earlier elevation of Gallus to Caesar by Constantius. Looking to eliminate Constantius and expand his territory, Magnentius marched east and engaged the enemy at Mursa in Pannonia (Osijek, Croatia) on 28 September A.D. 351. Despite huge losses on both sides, over 50,000 dead, the battle was indecisive and Magnentius was ultimately forced to retreat. Having lost the momentum of his campaign his rebellion was ultimately to end with his total defeat at Mons Seleuci in the Hautes-Alpes, Southern France in the summer of A.D. 353.</i></p><p><i>We know from the surviving accounts of the contemporary writer Ammianus Marcellinus, which survive from the period following the death of Magnentius, that the reprisals against the supporters of the defeated regime were severe. Constantius II sent an imperial notarius (secretary) known by the nickname Paul ‘the Chain’ to Britain to root out supporters of Magnentius. The upper classes who had actively supported the rebel regime suffered most, with the seizure of property and the imprisonment and torture of the accused, often the innocently accused. It is in this climate that the Bridgnorth Hoard was buried and not recovered by its owner. Whilst it is tempting to speculate that the owner met an unpleasant death at the hands of imperial agents because of his or her supposed allegiance to the rebel regime, simply monetary policy might also explain its non-recovery. Eager to eliminate any vestige of the rebellion, the Magnentian coinage was rapidly removed from circulation, as evidenced by slightly later hoards of the fourth century which very rarely contain coins of the rebels. Whilst in part inspired by political reality, the removal of the Magnentian coinage from circulation was also part of a wider currency reform that took place around A.D. 354 and that removed the larger module coinage from circulation. Incredibly the legal text that authorized the demonetization of these denominations still survives today (CTh 9.23.1.), having been preserved in the later Codex Theodosianus compiled around A.D. 438</i></p><p><i>UK Treasure Act</i></p><p><i>Discovered in 2007 and promptly reported to the Local Finds Liaison Officer of the Portable Antiquities Scheme the hoard was legally processed under the UK 1996 Treasure Act. Following a coroner’s inquest the hoard was declared ‘treasure’ in terms of law and was examined and cataloged by the British Museum. The Treasure Trove Valuation Committee arrived at a far market value for the hoard. The British Museum and the local Shropshire County Museum then got to select items they wished to retain for their collections, the finder being financially compensated for these coins. The balance of the hoard was then returned to the finder who subsequently released it onto the market. York Coins Inc. has acquired over 1800 coins of the roughly 2000 released onto the open market. The coins have now been legally imported into the United States with a UK / EU export license in place.</i></p><p><i>Sources, Further Reading and Web Links:</i></p><p><i>López-Sánchez, F &amp; Abdy, R, Bridgnorth Hoard Official Report BM ref: 2007 T664, British Museum Report</i></p><p><i>Portable Antiquities and Treasure Annual Report 2007, Department of Portable Antiquities and Treasure, British Museum: <a href="http://finds.org.uk/documents/treasurereports/2007.pdf" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://finds.org.uk/documents/treasurereports/2007.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://finds.org.uk/documents/treasurereports/2007.pdf</a></i></p><p><i>Sutherland, C. H. V., The Roman Imperial Coinage, Volume VIII, 1981, Spink and Son Ltd, London.</i></p><p><i>De La Bédoyère, G., Defying Rome, The Rebels of Roman Britain, 2003, Tempus, London.</i></p><p><i>Portable Antiquities Scheme website (information on the find): <a href="http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/199900" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/199900" rel="nofollow">http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/199900</a></i></p><p><i>Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae (A.D. 353-78): <a href="http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_01_intro.htm" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_01_intro.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_01_intro.htm</a></i></p><p><i>The Theodosian Code (CTh): http://ancientrome.ru/ius/library/codex/theod/liber09.htm#23&quot;</i>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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