Revista Analele Banatului S.N. Arheologie-Istorie

Radu Ardevan

Adriana Pescaru

Eugen Pescaru

Descoperiri monetare în castrul roman de la Cigmău (jud. Hunedoara) / Découvertes monétaires dans le camp romain de Cigmău (dép. de Hunedoara)

1 Ianuarie 2022

Abstract

This Roman fortification, located near the Germisara thermal resort, housed the Numerus singularium Britannicianorum. It has been archaeologically researched in recent years only. 102 Roman coins (41 silver and 61 bronze) were discovered during these excavations. Their complete catalog (Appendix I) is accompanied by their photographic illustrations (Plates I-VIII). Their study (see Appendix II and III) offers a certain insight into the history of this settlement. Certainly, the coins issued before the conquest of Dacia (13 pieces) arrived here only through Roman soldiers and colonists. The most numerous discoveries (21 pieces) date from the years of Trajan and Hadrian, and they mark the moment of the construction of the camp and the founding of the settlement. Later discoveries are less numerous. The preponderance of bronze coins is highlighted. Only under Caracalla did monetary circulation increase visibly, and it remained so until the reign of Trebonianus Gallus. But during the Severan dynasty, silver coins predominated, and starting with Gordian III, bronzes issued at Viminacium and in Dacia are the dominant cash (from the years of Philip the Arab appear only issues Provincia Dacia). The monetary series stops at 255 AD. The economic life in this camp seems only partially similar to that in other auxiliary forts in Dacia. As specific features should be highlighted the boom in the 3rd century and the large number of bronze coins. But the monetary series is too small to be representative. The information obtained must be verified through archaeological excavations.