SZ. BURGER ALICE: LATE ROMAN MONEY CIRCULATION IN SOUTH-PANNONIA / Régészeti Füzetek II/22. (Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum Budapest, 1981

LATE ROMAN MONEY CIRCULATION IN SOUTH-PANNONIA

the value of AE 1 and AE 4 occurred at that time. The reverse types of 17-19 kinds were reduced to 5 variants of which SPES REI PUBLICE was the leading reverse type (Fig. 27). The last year of PHASE A (coins from 324 to 364

) is also the first year of PHASE B (coins from 364 to 375

)

. To this year falls such a decisive change as the beginning of the reign of Valentinian I. The period between 365-366 is coloured by the brief appearance of Procopius. The division of the Empire up to that time was now further polarized by the fact that Valentinian I possessed the Western, whereas Valens possessed the Eastern part of the Empire. Our province belonged to the Eastern part of the Empire, thus the coins of Valens are represented in the monetary circulation in a far greater number (Figs. 22. , 38-43). As against the 42 kinds of reverse types of PHASE A the following types are known between A.D. 364-367

: RESTITUTOR REI PUBLICE, GLORIA ROMANORUM and SECURITAS REI PUBLICAE for Valentinian I and Valens, whereas for Procopius exclusively the REPARATIO FELTEMP type was produced. Between A. D. 367- 37

5 besides the variants of GLORIA ROMANORUM and SECURITAS REI PUBLICAE we may see the GLORIA NOVI SAECULI variant also on the coins of Gratian (struck by ARE). Many kinds of investigations could be done in connection with the two leading reverse types. I could show from the data of Emperors, types of sites and mints that the reverse type of SECURITAS was produced everywhere in a far greater number than the GLORIA ROMANORUM type (Figs. 36-37). In the mint of SIS these two reverse types of the coins of Valentinian I - Valens were produced almost in fifty-fifty per cent distribution (Figs. 39. , 41), whereas in the case of the coins of Gratian the reverse type GLORIA ROMANORUM constituted 80 per cent, whereas the SECURITAS type made up only about 20 per cent. By analysing the data of monetary circulation in PHASE B the curves of the various types of sites differ from one another. In the case of the closed finds constituting the largest quantity there is a difference between the curves of the closed finds of large numbers (Fig. 8) and those of smaller numbers (Fig. 9) beyond the general trend (i.e. that in 367 the figure is too prominent). In the case of the major closed finds some boom can be observed in the year before 375 while in the case of the smaller ones this phenomenon can be observed in the case of the find of ÖREGCSÉM. According to the graph of the settlements (Fig. 10) the curve climbs steeply from the extremely low level of 362-363 in 364 in the case of SOPIANAE (Pécs), and after a minor setback it continues to rise in 367 when it reaches the maximum. In 368 - in agreement with the closed finds - there is again a set-back and a horizontal stagnation right until 374 when again a slight rising trend can be observed. The fortified settlement of GÖLLE (lovia?) - depending upon the quantity shows a trend identical with the previous one. Unfortunately the material of TRICCIANA (Ságvár) is so scarce that it can be hardly analysed. The graph of the cemeteries and graves (Fig. 11) between the years 364-36

6 climbs evenly and in 367 it hits the maximum. But this peak does not at all represent such an outstanding value than the graph of either the treasure hoards or of the settlements. After the peak of 367 the graph drops and we obtain evenly low values between 368-375. From 360 the coins of the graves in the vicinity of Keszthely (Gr/2) cannot be proved to any considerable extent. The graph of the cemeteries of SOPIANAE at that time was extremely low which may be explained by the ritual rules of the greatest early Christian centres. ^ In the period of PHASE B coins in the grave goods become scarce in general. Here a clear distinction should be made between towns and rural settlements, and between Pagan and early Christian burials. Data ot the monetary circulation of cemeteries do support the postulate that the spread of Christianity was not of equal speed and strength in the * towns and in the rural settlements.^ Data of the monetary circulation of PHASE B are the following: annual circulation between 364-367

: 1840 pieces; between 367-375

: 1051 pieces (Fig. 66). The extremely high indices of quantity corroborate data of research done so far, but here the problem of the overlapping of the annual intervals of numismatic determinants^ should be taken into consideration. A more detailed analysis of period B/l (A.D. 364-36

7

) and of period B/2 (A.D. 367-37

5

) was possible only in the case of the mint of SIS (Fig. 44-47). These results reflect that monetary circulation within the various types of sites was a function of the relationship between the Emperor and the reverse type. The functioning of the mints in PHASE B shows a more or less similar trend depending upon quantity (Fig. 20). The production of the Italian mints is quite similar as far as the proportions are concerned (ROM - AQU, Figs. 28-29). With the exception of the mint of SIS the coins of Valens constituted the bulk of the production of the Italian, as well as the Eastern mints (Figs. 28-29., 3133). In connection with the reverse types it could be observed that the Gloria Romanorum and the Securitas types were not produced in identical proportions in the mints (Figs. 28-33., 35-37.) The coins of Gratian occurred in a far greater quantity in the material of the settlements (Fig. 43. , 21 per cent), while only 6-7 per cent of the coins are those of Valentinian I and Valens (Figs. 39. , 41). The mints of SIS and THE were producing coins in the largest numbers for Gratian (Fig. 31. ). 1 52