Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian
The ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian is known only from an assemblage of coins allegedly found in Transylvania (Romania) in 1713. They are very unlike regular Roman coins in style and manufacture, with various enigmatic features including bungled legends and historically mixed motifs, and have long been dis...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9683583/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1797986820529586176 |
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| author | Paul N. Pearson Michela Botticelli Jesper Ericsson Jacek Olender Liene Spruženiece |
| author_facet | Paul N. Pearson Michela Botticelli Jesper Ericsson Jacek Olender Liene Spruženiece |
| author_sort | Paul N. Pearson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian is known only from an assemblage of coins allegedly found in Transylvania (Romania) in 1713. They are very unlike regular Roman coins in style and manufacture, with various enigmatic features including bungled legends and historically mixed motifs, and have long been dismissed as poorly made forgeries. Here we present non-destructive imaging and spectroscopic results that show features indicative of authenticity. Deep micro-abrasion patterns suggest extensive circulation-wear. Superficial patches of soil minerals bound by authigenic cement and overlain by oxidation products indicate a history of prolonged burial then exhumation. These observations force a re-evaluation of Sponsian as a historical personage. Combining evidence from the coins with the historical record, we suggest he was most likely an army commander in the isolated Roman Province of Dacia during the military crisis of the 260s CE, and that his crudely manufactured coins supported a functioning monetary economy that persisted locally for an appreciable period. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:37:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e9691e1513ad49438364f3e4ee2fd895 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T07:37:58Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-e9691e1513ad49438364f3e4ee2fd8952022-12-22T04:36:40ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-011711Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ SponsianPaul N. PearsonMichela BotticelliJesper EricssonJacek OlenderLiene SpruženieceThe ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian is known only from an assemblage of coins allegedly found in Transylvania (Romania) in 1713. They are very unlike regular Roman coins in style and manufacture, with various enigmatic features including bungled legends and historically mixed motifs, and have long been dismissed as poorly made forgeries. Here we present non-destructive imaging and spectroscopic results that show features indicative of authenticity. Deep micro-abrasion patterns suggest extensive circulation-wear. Superficial patches of soil minerals bound by authigenic cement and overlain by oxidation products indicate a history of prolonged burial then exhumation. These observations force a re-evaluation of Sponsian as a historical personage. Combining evidence from the coins with the historical record, we suggest he was most likely an army commander in the isolated Roman Province of Dacia during the military crisis of the 260s CE, and that his crudely manufactured coins supported a functioning monetary economy that persisted locally for an appreciable period.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9683583/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | Paul N. Pearson Michela Botticelli Jesper Ericsson Jacek Olender Liene Spruženiece Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian PLoS ONE |
| title | Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian |
| title_full | Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian |
| title_fullStr | Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian |
| title_full_unstemmed | Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian |
| title_short | Authenticating coins of the ‘Roman emperor’ Sponsian |
| title_sort | authenticating coins of the roman emperor sponsian |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9683583/?tool=EBI |
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