Coins from the Retentura (Sector XIII) of the Legio I Italica Fortress in Novae / Monety z retentury (sektor XIII) obozu legionowego Legio I Italica w Novae

Szymon Jellonek, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Archaeology

ORCID: 0000-0001-6500-3286

Coins from the Retentura (Sector XIII) of the Legio I Italica Fortress in Novae

Abstract: During archaeological research conducted by the Faculty of Archaeology University of Warsaw Archaeological Expedition in Novae in the retentura (sector XIII) of the legion fortress, 257 coins were discovered. The dynamics of change in the rear part of the fortress over the course of five hundred years are reflected in the coin accumulation. The oldest coin (15–16)2 dates back to before the establishment of the fortress (mid-1st century). A small number of bronze imperial coins from the 1st–2nd century is followed by 42 provincial coins from the early 3rd century, due to the high activity of local mints. After the hiatus caused by the Goth invasions, well-preserved coins from the second half of the 3rd century appeared. The fact that 163 examples, more than 60%, are late Roman coins from the 4th and early 5th centuries attests to the high level of activity in this area of the fortress during that time. The most recent coins (not counting the 2 stotinki from the 20th century) date from the early Byzantine period, and the youngest was minted by Justin II and Sophia in 572/573.

The subject of whether coins from sector XIII correlate to general numismatic observations in Novae will be addressed by comparing the coin finds of the retentura to data from other sectors of the legion fortress. A historical context will be provided for the analysis.

Key words: Novae, coin finds, Roman coins, Roman army, Legio I Italica

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52800/ajst.1.20.a4

Jellonek, J. 2025. “Coins from the Retentura (Sector XIII) of the Legio I Italica Fortress in Novae”, Notae Numismaticae – Zapiski Numizmatyczne 20: 67–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52800/ajst.1.20.a4