12-04-2014, 09:43 AM
Quote:because Constantine reformed the currency.
He introduced new coinage to stabilise the old, but the older coins were not abolished or replaced and could have continued in use, albeit devalued. The article doesn't state what sort of coin was found, although it does mention that it was 'highly worn', so a later date is more probable. First couple of decades of the fourth century would seem about right.
The illustrations of the scabbard chapes shown in the first article are fascinating. The designs are very similar to a number of late Roman shield patterns - the well-known 'domestici' ones in the ND, for example, or the Brescia Casket (below) - besides the decorative roundels in the Luxor temple painting, which I've seen interpreted as shields. It's interesting to see such an identifiable late Roman aesthetic - or perhaps a visual language - informing so many different facets of military design.
[attachment=11243]Bres.jpg[/attachment]
Nathan Ross
