BÍRÓ-SEY KATALIN: COINS FROM IDENTIFIED SITES OF BRIGETIO AND THE QUESTION OF LOCAL CURRENCY / Régészeti Füzetek II/18. (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum Budapest, 1977)
I. INTRODUCTION
ces, although these are already inflationary years. Prices and soldier's pay rise, thus more money would be indicated. 1 0''' Aquincum has more money under Elagabalus, Brigetio has more under Septimius Severus. The number of coins surpasses the top values of the 2nd century A. D. under Elagabalus and Septimius Severus. The situation in Intercisa is different. After the great decrease of the Markoman wars, the amount of coinage is increasing during the reign of Septimius Severus, and his sons, but compared not only to the decrease of the times of Commodus, but compared to the top value measured under Antoninus Pius. This increasing tendency is characteristic until Philip, except for a break: there is no coin of Elagabalus from Intercisa. Before the great inflation the coins of Gordian III represent the top value in the 3rd century A. D. at Intercisa. The coins of Maximinus Trax show a decreasing amount in Brigetio. At the same time the number of coins is higher in Aquincum, and there are no coins from Intercisa. The number of coins is highest again in Aquincum from Gordian III to Gallienus. Compared to the beginning of this century, the number of coins are on the increase at all three settlements. From time of Gallienus, Brigetio is again in a leading position, and at the same time the number of coins from Intercisa are higher again. The yearly average is 9 from Brigetio, 3 from Aquincum, and 1 from Intercisa. The years 268 to 27o A. D. show an outstanding value for Brigetio, the yearly average is 41. This number is not even reached during Valentinian, although the yearly average is very high then. Aquincum lags way behind Brigetio. Between the years 27o and 285 A. D. the number of coins decrease both in Aquincum and Brigetio. The unusual phenomenon, that Intercisa has a higher yearly average number than Aquincum, occurs between 282 and 285 A. D. The yearly average of 9 coins of the years 27o and 282 A. D. remains the same in Brigetio. Because of the rough chronological arrangement of this graph, the great decrease of these years do not whoV up too well, not as well as on fig. XIV. The combined chronology of the years 3o5 to 337 A. D. makes the increase noticeable from 32o A. D. ; and the stronger booming currency from 33o A. D. disappear. The number of coins increase in Brigetio during this period, but not as much as in Aquincum or Intercisa, where the yearly average rises to 3, or 2 pieces respectively. At neither place did the yearly average go over 1 in the previous period. A decrease occurs at all three places between the years 337 to 251 A. D. , but the number of coins is higher in Intercisa than in Aquincum. Next to the outstanding values of the 24 pieces of Brigetio, Aquincum and Intercisa show an average of 9 between 364 and 375 A. D. All three settlements show an increasing tendency of currency from 351 A. D. on, and more so, they show outstanding values compared to those of the previous period. The period of 375 to 423 A. D. marks a great decrease of currency, even if we strech the end of this period until 423 A. D. The coins, where the obverse were not identifiable, according to their reverse, must have been struck up to this date. Summarizing, Aquincum has the greatest currency, except for two shorter periods, until the middle of the 3rd century A. D. At this time Brigetio takes the lead, and keeps it 21
