Circulation of the coins of Bithinian mint of Nicaea in Moesia Superior

Abstract

During the first half of the 3rd century, at the Danubian and Balkan provinces and within monetary circulation, many different circumstances let to mass appearance of bronze coins minted in Nicaea. This especially refers to the third and the fourth decade, actually the reign of the emperors Alexander Severus and Gordian III. This massive introduction of Nicaea coinage in the monetary circulation of the Danubian and Balkan provinces was initiated due to the lack of small bronze nominal of senate issues. This was possibly the main reason for opening a mint of provincial coinage in Viminacium and later on also in Sarmizegetusa (Dacia). It can be noticed that after 239 and the beginning of minting in Viminacium, the Nicaea issues almost disappear from monetary circulation at the territories of Upper Moesia and Lower Pannonia. These provinces obviously had the greatest problem with the lack of small bronze coins from the senate issues. The greatest concentration of numismatic finds from Nicaea is connected to the Danube valley (Veliko Gradište, Viminacium, Belgrade, Zemun, Batajnica, Novi Banovci, Surduk, Beška, Vukovar, Osijek), pointing out to the importance of this fluvial road not only for trade, but also for military needs. On the other hand, the lower part of the Sava fluvial road also had great economic importance, most of all because of the position of Sirmium. Numerous coin finds, the Nicaea ones being among them, were discovered along this route (Ušće, Hrtkovci, Sremska Mitrovica and Banovo Polje).