Assorted topics > History

Silver ingots stamped with a solidus of Constantine the Great

(1/1)

Victor:
Rare Roman-era silver ingots depicting Constantine the Great seized from alleged black-market sale


--- Quote ---Each of the metal blocks, which are almost entirely pure silver, weighs more than 12 ounces (342 grams) and contains a coin-shaped impression of Emperor Constantine the Great on each side, according to the statement. Constantine, who ruled from A.D. 306 to 337, is known for ushering Christianity into the Roman Empire and moving his capital to "New Rome," which later became Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul).

The ingots would have been used during the minting process to strike coins known as siliquae. The coins with Constantine's likeness would have been issued between A.D. 310 and 313 in Augusta Treverorum, a Roman city that today is Trier, Germany. At one time, the pieces would have been batched together with a thin, silver ribbon, which has since been lost, according to the statement.

"Three ingots fastened together were supposed to be a gift for a very high-ranking person," Maksym Levada, a curator at the museum, said in the statement. "The fact that they were found outside the Roman Empire on the territory of modern Ukraine makes them an invaluable source of our past."
--- End quote ---


https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/romans/rare-roman-era-silver-ingots-depicting-constantine-the-great-seized-from-alleged-black-market-sale?lrh=12ac616e4d8f552fdd80275e40fabf33774d7ea81651f4033164ad69253928e7


Based on the weight of each bar; they were worth 100 siliquae each; even though a solidus is stamped on each-- RIC VI Trier 824  GAVDIVM ROMANORVM

Navigation

[0] Message Index

Go to full version