Folles and forgeries : an appraisal of the composition of Roman copper-alloy coinage of the mid-third to mid-fourth centuries A.D. from Britain
This thesis deals with the effects of the burial environment on complex copper-alloy coins and how these can result in non-representative data leading to erroneous numismatic interpretations. Three main periods of Romano-British coin copying are investigated compositionally in order to demonstrate the value of a more rigorous methodology. Samples from selected hoards are used to examine the period of Radiate copying (AD 270's - 280's), the period of Constantinian copying (c.AD 341-346) and the period of the 'FEL.TEMP.' copies (c. AD 354-364). In addition to this well preserved hoard material, a small hoard of corroded together Constantinian nummi from Richborough was analysed in its entirety and is compared with numismatically identical hoard material, together with excavated site finds covering all three periods. The problems of creating a suitable sampling strategy and the specific problems related to the sampling of ancient numismatic material are discussed. The topic of segregation in complex alloys is examined, followed by a discussion of corrosion theory. The analytical techniques employed in this study are atomic absorption spectroscopy and electron-probe microanalysis. The choice and limitations of
Ponting, Matthew James
Archaeology
Folles and forgeries : an appraisal of the composition of Roman copper-alloy coinage of the mid-third to mid-fourth centuries A.D. from Britain. This thesis deals with the effects of the burial environment on complex copper-alloy coins and how these can result in non-representative data leading to erroneous numismatic interpretations. Three main periods of Romano-British coin copying are investigated compositionally in order to demonstrate the value of a more rigorous methodology. Samples from selected hoards are used to examine the period of Radiate copying (AD 270's - 280's), the period of Constantinian copying (c.AD 341-346) and the period of the 'FEL.TEMP.' copies (c. AD 354-364). In addition to this well preserved hoard material, a small hoard of corroded together Constantinian nummi from Richborough was analysed in its entirety and is compared with numismatically identical hoard material, together with excavated site finds covering all three periods. The problems of creating a suitable sampling strategy and the specific problems related to the sampling of ancient numismatic material are discussed. The topic of segregation in complex alloys is examined, followed by a discussion of corrosion theory. The analytical techniques employed in this study are atomic absorption spectroscopy and electron-probe microanalysis. The choice and limitations of
forgery appraisal composition roman copper_alloy coinage mid third mid fourth_century britain deal effect burial_environment complex copper_alloy coin non representative data lead erroneous numismatic interpretation three_main period romano_british coin copying investigate order value rigorous methodology samples select hoard use examine period copying period copying cad period copy addition well_preserve hoard material small hoard together analyse entirety compare identical hoard material together excavate_site find cover_three period problem create suitable sample strategy specific problem related sample ancient numismatic material discuss topic segregation complex alloy examine follow_discussion corrosion theory analytical_technique employ study atomic_absorption spectroscopy electron probe microanalysis choice limitation