Coins and archaeology

general courses

Classroom

The lecture presenting the most current and often not yet published research in the subject is divided in two parts; the first one (winter term) is dedicated to Roman coinage, currency, archaeology and history from Republic times until the fall of the Western Empire (3rd BC - 4th AD), the second one (summer term) - Barbarian coinage and its functions from Celts until the Early Germanic Kingdoms, archaeology and history of Barbaricum from Pre-Roman until Migration Periods (3rd BC - 6th AD). Students, according to their needs and possibilities, can attend the lecture during one or two semesters. They have also a possibility to study and hold in their hands original ancient coins.

Coinage and coins are subjects of interdisciplinary approaches as archeological, historical, iconographical and economical source.

They are the following titles of particular lectures (order can be subject to change):

Winter term - Roman Coinage

1. Introduction to ancient numismatics

2. Numismatics as a science

3. Numismatics and law

4. Technologies of coinage

5. Early coinage, theory and practice

6. Early Republic

7. Late Republic

8. Early Imperial

9. Roman provincial

10. Late Imperial

11. Architectura numismatica

12. Hoards

13. Graves & votive deposits

14. Settlements and single finds

15. Roman coinage, currency and economy

Summer term - Barbarian Coinage

1. Introduction to Barbarian numismatics (terminology) and archaeology

2. Celts and their coinage - an overview

3. Greek and Republic coins in Barbaricum

4. The Teutoburg Forest battle and coins

5. Roman coins in the Far East and their imitations

6. Denarii in Barbaricum and in Scotland

7. Roman bronzes in Barbaricum

8. Iconography of Barbarians on Roman coins

9. The battle of Abritus horizon

10. Alexandria Troas and early Germanic coinage

11. Roman medallions and Indian Peace Medals

12. Later Roman gold and silver in Barbaricum

13. Roman and early Germanic coins in context

14. Functions of Roman and Barbarian coins outside of the Empire

15. Gold bracteats and Germanic coinage during the Migration Period

D.F. Allen, The Coins of the Ancient Celts, Edinburgh 1980; E. Babelon, Ancient Numismatics and its History, London 2004; P. Berghaus, Roman coins from India and their imitations, in: Coinage, Trade and Economy. 3rd International Colloquium, held at Anjaneri from January 8th-11th (ed. A K Jha), Anjaneri 1991, 108-121; A. Burnett, Coinage in the Roman World, London 1987; A. Bursche, Contacts between the Late Roman Empire and North-Central Europe, The Antiquaries Journal, 76: 1996, 31-50; idem, Roman gold medallions as power symbols of Germanic elite, (in:) Roman Gold and the Development of the Early Germanic Kingdoms (ed. B. Magnus), Stockholm 2001 (2002), 128-164; idem, The battle of Abritus, the imperial treasury and aurei in Barbaricum, Numismatic Chronicle 173, 2013, 151-170; idem, Roman coins from Illerup Ådal (Denmark), (in:) Numismatica e archeologia. Monete, stratigrafie e contesti. Dati a confronto. Workshop Internazionale di Numismatica, (eds. G. Pardini, N. Parise & F. Marani), Roma 2017, 465-474; A. Bursche, R. Ciołek, R. Wolters (eds.), Roman Coins outside the Empire, Proceedings of the ESF/SCH Exploratory Workshop, Radziwiłł Palace, Nieborów (Poland), 3-6 September 2005 [Collection Moneta 82], Wetteren 2008; A. Bursche, K. Myzgin, Gold coins, Alexandria Troas and Goths, (in:), Studies in Ancient Coinage in Honour of Andrew Burnett (eds. R. Bland & D. Calomino), London 2015, 232-258; A. Bursche, B. Niezabitowska, Two antique gold coins from Ulów in Roztocze, (in:) Studia Barbarica. (eds. B. Niezabitowska-Wiśniewska et alii),vol. II, Lublin 2018, 248-267; K. Butcher, Roman Provincial Coins: An Introduction to the Greek Imperials, London 1988; K. Castelin, Die Goldprägung der Kelten in den böhmischen Ländern, Graz 1965; M.H. Crawford, Coinage and Money under the Roman Republic, London 1985; idem, Roman Republican Coinage, Camridge 1974; R. P. Duncan-Jones, Money and Government in the Roman Empire, Cambridge 1994; A. Dymowski, Nummi serrati, bigati et alii. Coins of the Roman Republic in East-Central Europe north of the Sudetes and the Carpathians, Warszawa 2016; Ph. Grierson, M. Blackburn, Medieval European Coinage, vol. I, The Early Middle Ages (5th – 10th Centuries), Cambridge 1986; C. Howgego, Why did ancient states strike coins, Numismatic Chronicle 150: 1990, 1-25; idem, The supply and use of money in the Roman world 200 B.C. to A.D. 300, Journal of Roman Studies 82: 1992, 1-31; K. Hopkins, Taxes and trade in the Roman empire (200 B.C.-400 A.D.), Journal of Roman Studies 70:1980, 101-125; C. Howgego, V. Heuchert, A. Burnett (eds.), Coinage and Identity in the Roman Provinces, Oxford 2005; C.E. King, D.G. Wigg (eds.), Coin Finds and Coin Use in the Roman World, SFMA10, Berlin 1996; W. E. Metcalf (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Greek and Roman Coinage, Oxford 2012; M. A. Metlich, The Coinage of Ostrogothic Italy, London 2004; M. Mielczarek, Ancient Greek coins found in Central, Eastern and Northern Europe, Bibliotheca Antiqua vol. XXI, Wrocław 1989; R. Reece, Roman Coins and Archaeology, Collected Papers, Wetteren 2003; P. Turner, Roman coins from India, London 1989; M. Wołoszyn (ed.), Byzantine Coins in Central Europe between the 5th ant 10th century, Moravia Magna, Seria Polona, vol. III, Kraków 2009.

Students will learn theory and practice concerning ancient coinageand archaeology, technology, iconography, currency and early economies, legislation according coins and archeological finds. They will understand the contextual archaeology and numismatics, different interdisciplinary methods including chemical and metallurgical analysis, statistics and digital humanities in interpreting coins and their finds. They will also learn symbolical and ethnological meaning of the coinage and coin use as well as its economical function.

There will be a written exam (with grade) at the end of a summer semester or oral in individual cases.