Programme of lectures
Meetings take place from 6-7:30pm at the Society of Antiquaries of London, who also have the facilities to broadcast all lectures as hybrid events over Zoom.
Please note that the November and February meetings will be held on Zoom only
Zoom link for all meetings 2023-24:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82967256285?pwd=hUfCzLJK2m5bDlAXzVR7g5nhegSPHK.1
Meeting ID: 829 6725 6285
Passcode: 295843
9th October 2023 (6:30pm). Graham Barker: ‘How the coinage of Carausius, rebel emperor of Britannia, became so popular in 18th century Britain and the story of Oriuna, the empress who never was’
Abstract: Carausius had been put in charge of the Roman fleet in the Channel by Maximian. In AD 286 he rebelled and declared himself emperor of Britannia. He took with him the major part of the Roman fleet in northern Europe and units from at least ten different legions. Carausius started minting coins in northern Gaul before declaring himself emperor; some of the designs only appear on what became known as his “Rouen mint.” His coinage is prolific and wonderfully varied and indicates a carefully planned rebellion with claims, based on classic Roman literature, that were consistent with those of legitimate Roman emperors. In 18th century Britain his coins became highly desirable and auction records show that Carausius coins fetched some of the highest prices of any Roman coins. Antiquarian societies of the age devoted much time to discussing the story of Carausius and his coinage. This paper explores the reasons for the popularity of Carausius in Britain at this time and tells the extraordinary story, through coinage, of Oriuna, the empress who never was
20th November 2023. Lauren Morris [ZOOM]: ‘In pursuit of forgotten context: the Begram hoard and Kushan coinage from an archaeological perspective’
Abstract: The post-nomadic kings of the Kushan Empire (ca. 50-350 CE) – which once stretched from southern Uzbekistan to northern India – produced vast coinages that have provided a crucial basis for the reconstruction of Kushan history. Yet, archaeologically oriented studies on the use and deposition of this coinage remain limited, a fact certainly informed by the variable and limited information that is typically available about their precise find contexts. This talk explores what insights we can nonetheless gain in such circumstances about how Kushan coins were used in Central Asia, why they were deposited into the archaeological record, and what this can tell us about broader historical phenomena. First, I consider the role of coins and insights gained from comparative studies of coin hoards in re-examining the imperfectly documented Begram hoard, being a series of deposits of largely imported prestigious and luxury goods found during French excavations in the 1930s at Begram in Afghanistan. Second, I present some case studies of past coin finds from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan that shed light on various political, economic, and ritual phenomena. Finally, I outline some current approaches to dealing with coin finds in the field, and challenges facing future work.
11th December 2023. Medallist’s Lecture, followed by Christmas party.
Shin’ichi Sakuraki, RNS Medallist for 2023: ‘Numismatic archaeology in Japan: a personal retrospective’
Abstract: In this talk I shall begin with my studies of coin finds in Japan and go on to outline the expansion of my research to include coin finds in Vietnam and elsewhere in East Asia. Thanks to the opportunity to spend a year at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, I began to collect data on Japanese coins in European museums such as the British Museum, the Ashmolean Museum and the National Museum of Denmark. Using examples from these and other collections, as well as single-finds and hoards found in Japan, I shall explain some of the particular features of coinage in Japan, and finally, with a brief discussion of the contributions of science to the metallurgical analysis of coins, conclude with a look at possible future developments.
15th January 2024. Alex Fang: ‘The Rise of Chinese Numismatic Charms Seen through the Spink Auction of the Dr Burger Collection’
Abstract: The talk is set against the background of a phenomenal change arising from a new demand for the finest collectables in China which, according to Olivier Stocker, CEO of Spink, “is making an enormous impact on the cultural landscape of the auction business”. This is particularly well evidenced by the latest public auction of the prestigious Burger collection of Chinese charms, which has turned out to be a landmark event that has resonated across the numismatic community in China with record-making realisations. This talk will first of all present an introduction to the prestigious Dr Werner Burger collection and then address the issues of their symbolic meanings and cultural significances as well as factors that contributed towards their market values. The talk intends to establish a fundamental link to the unrelenting efforts, such as Dr Burger’s, to pursue their cultural significance as an underpinning factor that has defined the paramount interest in and due appreciation of such objects. It is exactly this in-depth understanding that has constituted a vital element in the rise of Chinese numismatic charms.
19th February 2024. Early Career Lectures [ZOOM]:
1. Evdoxia Mintzaridou: ‘Provincial Coins under Valerian and Gallienus: The Case of Balkan Provinces‘
Abstract: During the reign of Gallienus (AD 253-268), almost all the Roman provincial mints ceased their production of civic coins, and the long tradition of eastern provincial coinage came to an end. In this talk, I shall present the catalogue of the coin types which are issued in the eastern provinces during the Valerian Dynasty. This catalogue has been created as part of my ongoing Ph.D. «Coinage and Public Image in the Roman Empire: The Case of Provincial Coins from Valerian to Gallienus (AD 253-268) » and includes eighteen cities from six provinces of the Balkan Peninsula. The number of types is calculated at around five hundred, including the pseudo-autonomous coins that are attributed with relative certainty to the period of Valerian and his son Gallienus. Quantitative variation and iconographical variety in types both between cities within the same province and between provinces became apparent from the initial research, and patterns in type production were identified.
2. Sarah Prince: ‘Visualising Pietas in the Roman Republic’
Abstract Pietas, often defined as the fulfilment of duty towards the gods, the family, and the state, was fundamental to all aspects of Roman politics, society, religion, and personal identity. It was frequently the subject of Cicero’s philosophical discourse, promoted by politicians such as Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius, and was the defining characteristic of Rome’s founding hero, pius Aeneas. While its widespread importance throughout the Roman Republic has been addressed from a literary and historical perspective, the visualisation of pietas is, surprisingly, yet to receive significant scholarly appraisal. The personified Pietas was first vowed a temple in 191BCE by M. Acilius Glabrio at the Battle of Thermopylae (Livy 34.40.4), but was not featured on coins until the denarius of M. Herennius in 109/108. This paper aims to examine the different methods that the personified Pietas was visually represented on coinage by five different moneyers between 109-27BCE. While the goddess maintained a consistent portrait, her accompaniments varied based on the moneyer’s purpose, including storks, figures carrying fathers, and ritual scenes. These representations will be analysed within their contemporary contexts, in order to draw conclusions about the role of pietas in politics, society, and cultural identity. For example, Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius earned the agnomen on account of his diligent campaigning to retried his father from exile, and as a result promoted this virtuous association on several types to enhance his electoral prospects and add legitimacy to his political affiliations. Ultimately, this paper will illustrate the manner, purpose, and impact, of visually representing pietas on Roman Republican denarii.
18th March 2024. Rory Naismith: ‘Making Money in the Early Middle Ages’
Abstract Western Europe in the early Middle Ages (fifth to eleventh centuries) is widely thought of as a low point in monetary history. Coined money was for the most part scarce, and what there was consisted of gold and silver coins of restrictively high value. This paper argues that these very qualities make early medieval money an important case study, with wider implications for economic and social history. The key question becomes why people made and used coins at all. Several possibilities can be identified as reasons for producing coin, with patronage by members of the elite likely becoming the dominant factor. However, numerous sources demonstrate that coined money was used at least sometimes by most people, and for a wide range of purposes, with an important commercial element. The tension between these two forces can be seen in the practical limitations of early medieval coined money, such as its tendency to be concentrated in the hands of relatively wealthy and powerful figures, but also in the associations that gathered around coinage. Pennies, tremisses and the like were regarded as signals of participation in social rituals involving wealth. Early medieval money emerges as a dynamic and interesting subject in its own right.
15th April 2024. Wendy Scott: ‘The Lenborough Hoard Project’
Abstract The Lenborough Hoard was found almost a decade ago, in December 2014, and has been the subject of a collaborative doctoral research project at the University of Leicester, in partnership with Bucks County Museum and the British Museum. In this paper Wendy will discuss the rare and unusual contents of the Hoard, which include tested, imitative and possibly irregular examples. She will then summarise what her research has revealed about Cnut’s coinage, focussing on Short Cross which forms the bulk of the Hoard, and his impact on the English economy.
20th May 2024. Leah Lazar: ‘The CHANGE Project’
17th June 2024. Presidential Address – Martin Allen: ‘Coinage of the Plantagenets: (1) Henry II’
Followed by the Summer Party