The find highlights the crucial role of the Lower Germanic limes during the Roman conquest of Britannia.
In autumn 2023, 404 coins made of silver and gold were discovered in the municipality of Bunnik, dating back to the early Common Era. This unique combination of Roman and British coins was buried in the northern border region of the Roman Empire (the Lower Germanic limes), which ran through the Netherlands. Such a Roman-British coin find has not been made before on the European mainland.
The youngest Roman coins were minted in the years 46-47 during the reign of Emperor Claudius. At that time, Roman troops crossed the North Sea to conquer Britannia. 44 gold coins originate from present-day Great Britain, bearing the name of British King Cunobelinus. The coins were likely brought back to Bunnik by returning Roman soldiers from Britannia: the Roman coins as pay and the British as spoils of war. The coins have been purchased by the National Museum of Antiquities and are displayed in the Netherlands in Roman Times section.
Historical Context and Interpretations
The coin find demonstrates the significance of the Lower Germanic limes for the Roman invasions of Britannia. From the border area, not only was the first crossing in 43 prepared, but evidently Roman troops also returned via the limes, bringing back various items such as British coins.
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Roman and British Coins
This coin find is the largest from Roman times ever discovered in the province of Utrecht. Furthermore, it is the first mixed Roman-British composition find on the European mainland. Only from Great Britain is a comparable coin treasure known.
The coins were found in the region of the Roman border area, but outside the major known Roman sites such as fort Trajecum (Utrecht) and Ulpia Noviomagus (Nijmegen). They were likely buried in or shortly after 47 AD. The reason for the burial is unknown. They may have been hidden with the idea of digging them up later, or perhaps it was an offering, such as a thank you to the gods for a safe return from battle.
Stater Coins
The gold coins from Great Britain are called staters. They are not pure gold but an alloy of gold, silver, and copper. They were minted between approximately 5 and 43 AD, during and just after the reign of British King Cunobelinus, and until the first Roman conquests. The name of Cunobelinus is inscribed in Latin letters on the coins: CVNO[BELINVS].
The Roman coins depict portraits of Roman rulers and emperors. The youngest among them, made of silver and gold, are from Emperor Claudius. They were minted in 46-47 AD, around the end of the first Roman conquests in Great Britain.
A total of 72 Roman gold coins (aurei, singular aureus) were found, dating from 19 BC to 47 AD. Two gold specimens were minted with the same stamp and are unused - they show no signs of wear. The owner apparently received them from a pile of freshly minted coins.
Most Roman specimens, 288 in total, are made of silver. These denarii (singular denarius) were minted between 200 BC and 47 AD. There are remarkable specimens among them, such as coins from Julius Caesar and a coin from Juba, the King of Numidia (North Africa, present-day Algeria).
From Report to Exhibition
The coins were discovered with a metal detector by Gert-Jan Messelaar and Reinier Koelink. After the formal report of the find to the Archaeology Reporting Center of Landscape Heritage Utrecht, archaeologist Anton Cruysheer examined the coins. They were subsequently recorded in the Portable Antiquities of the Netherlands (PAN) database and cleaned by the restoration company Restaura in Heerlen. The Archaeology Reporting Center is part of Landscape Heritage Utrecht and is made possible by a financial contribution from the province of Utrecht.
To gain insight into the surroundings of the find location and the reason for the burial of the coins, the Cultural Heritage Agency (RCE) conducted an excavation there, in collaboration with the two finders. Their find, 381 of the eventual 404 coins, was purchased by the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden. The coins have thus been added to the National Archaeological Collection and are available for research. They can be seen in the Netherlands in Roman Times section. The purchase was made possible in part by the VriendenLoterij.