After Pakistan, this country hits JACKPOT, finds 1700-year-old treasure worth Rs….
Archaeologists have uncovered a 1700-year-old Roman-era trove of gold coins in Luxembourg, bearing the visages of as many as eight Roman emperors. According to reports, 141 gold coins were excavated near the foundation of a small tower-like Roman fort in Holzthum village in northern Luxembourg.
The coins, dated between 364 AD and 408 AD, bear the visages of Roman emperors, including the Western Roman Emperor, Eugenius, whose rule was not recognized by Theodosius I, the Eastern Roman emperor, as the two disagreed on the latter’s persecution of pagans.
Who was Roman emperor Eugenius?
Eugenius, a teacher and a court official, came to power after Western Emperor, Valentinian II was executed under mysterious circumstances, following which Eugenius was declared emperor by a powerful Roman military general. However, Eugenius’ rule lasted for a mere two years (392 AD to 394 AD), and his appearance on three of the excavated coins has baffled archeologist, Live Science reported.
Theodosius I, the Christian emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, did not recognize Eugenius’ as emperor, and eventually defeated and killed him in the Battle of Frigidus aka the Battle of Frigid River in September 394 AD.
According to experts, emperor Eugenius’ coins are considered rare because his reign was very short and the discovery in Holzthum is significant as it could shed more light on his reign.
Excavation team faced hazards
As per a report by Live Science, the excavations in Holzthum village were carried out over a period of four years from 2020 to 2024, and the ancient gold coins, are estimated to be worth $322000 (Rs 27754959). The coins, called ‘Solidi’ by researchers (from the Latin word ‘Solidus’, meaning solid), weigh around 0.16 ounces (4.5 grams), each, and came into circulation during the North Roman Empire era in the early 4th century AD.
The excavation team faced a hazardous situation during the dig as area is said to be littered with residual ammunition and explosives from World War II-era, the report said.
Major discovery
Researchers have hailed the find as a major archaeological discovery because it is extremely rare to be able to study an entire ancient currency reserve in its archaeological context. The Solidus, according to them, remained a stable currency for centuries and its usage was spread throughout the Mediterranean region.
In a statement, Luxembourg’s Culture Minister, Eric Thill, said it would take some time to process the finds from the historical excavations and there are plans to further analyze the unearthed treasure, after which the results will be published in a peer-reviewed research journal.