Roman coin hoard found in ancient Gaul (France)

A large hoard of more than 40,000 Roman coins dating from AD 289-310 was found in Senon, northeastern France (Gaul).















Roman Coin Hoard in Senon

Location: Senon, northeastern France.

Find: Three large ceramic jars buried beneath a house floor, reminiscent of household savings jars.

Contents: More than 40,000 bronze coins dating between AD 280–310.

First jar: ~38 kg, 23,000+ coins.

Second jar: ~50 kg, ~18,000–19,000 coins.

Third jar: Still undergoing analysis

Historical context: Coins feature emperors of the Gallic Empire (Victorinus, Tetricus I & II).

Interpretation:

These were long-term household savings, with jar openings flush to the floor for daily deposits.

Offers rare insight into everyday Roman financial habits, in contrast to wartime treasure hoards.

Significance: One of the largest domestic coin hoards discovered in Gaul, emphasizing stability and household wealth in the late 3rd century.

️ Residential Quarter of Senon

Excavation area: 1,500 m² parcel investigated during modern construction.

Importance:

Reveals a wealthy Roman neighborhood within Senon.

Demonstrates the city’s economic resilience and adaptation, with coin deposits marking both prosperity and responses to instability.

Adds new insights into urban life in northeastern Gaul, showing that Senon was larger and more complex than previously thought.

Key Takeaways

The coin jars and residential quarter are part of the same broader excavation project in Senon.

Together, they demonstrate the ongoing settlement, household wealth management, and urban growth in late Roman Gaul.

These finds challenge the notion of coin hoards as purely crisis-driven, instead showing routine savings embedded in daily life.






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