Quantifiying relative coin production during the reigns of Nerva and Trajan (AD 96-117): Reka Devnia reconsidered in light of regional coin finds from Romania and the Northwest

Abstract

Given the difficulty in systematically collecting and analysing hoard data, quantification of coinage output for the Roman imperial period has principally relied on one very large hoard (Reka Devnia, Bulgaria) as a proxy for relative production. This paper uses a vast body of hoard evidence collected from Roman hoards in Romania and the northwest of continental Europe to test whether the Reka Devnia hoard can be considered as being representative of denarius production during the reigns of Nerva and Trajan (ad 96-117). Furthermore, it considers the relative frequency of issues and calculates a normalized average output on the basis of the hoard finds. By using these two metrics, similarities and differences between the various control groups and Reka Devnia are highlighted. It can be concluded that for particular issues and reigns, the Reka Devnia hoard is not necessarily reliable for quantification purposes, but also that, despite some regional differences, coin supply to the two regions of the Roman Empire examined here, as reflected by general averages, was to some extent surprisingly similar