Roman Coin Hoards deposited during the reign of Philip I from the territory of present-day Serbia

Abstract

Monetary finds, especially coin hoards, are unavoidable sources for studying the political, economic and social history of a certain period and territory. Coin hoards are particularly valuable in the interpretation of complex historical processes in the Roman Empire, especially in the 3rd century, from which written sources fail to provide the anticipated clues. Given these circumstances, the analysis of finds requires caution in their interpretation primarily because the conditions of discovery are often insufficiently reliable, and the mandatory comparison with similar finds from the immediate and broader vicinity. A large number of coin hoards from the territory of present-day Serbia originate from the 3rd century, wherein they gradually grew in numbers from the time of Alexander Severus and peaked in the period between 252 and 254 AD (Graph 1).