HISTORY FROM COINS

Evening Post, Issue 66, 15 September 1936, Page 17

HISTORY FROM COINS

LIGHT ON THE ROMANS

The histoiy to be gleaned fiom Roman coins was the subject of a very interesting paper read befoic the New Zealand Numismatic Society lecently on behalf of Aichdeacon G. H Gavin, F.R.N.S., New Plymouth. He . said that the importance ol numismatics in the study of history was being increasingly xccogniscd by the wide use of illustrations of ancient coins

The coinage of the Romau Empne from its beginning to the-days of Romulus Augustulus, sti etching over a pexiod of four centuries., was issued by no fewer than 200 rulers The obveise portraits presented Jtaithful likenesses, particularly in the days of Nero and Tiajan, but deteriorated m the latei empire. The reverse designs iaithfully reflected political, religious, and social history of the Roman woild, indeed the designs resembled a series of official archives, and the usefulness of these coins to the'historical student lay in corroborating facts already recorded by historians, and in giving additional information enabling historical science to fill up gaps. For example, Magnia Urbica, consort of Carinus, was known only by her coins and she did not otherwise appear on the pages of history. But some coin • designs contained statements contrary to known fact, due largely to undue optimism of short-lived rulers. Innovations, games, extraordinary, happenings, monuments, and divinities were all shown on Roman coins, which provided a wealth of information. In moving a vote of thanks, Sir James Elliott said that the outstanding feature of Roman coins was their historical value. Unlike the earlier Greeks, whose coins were strikingly beautiful, Roman coins had little artistic merit, but presented a fine portrait gallery of Rbman' emperors and a history of contemporary events. Indeed, historians were; more familiar ; with the lineaments of the rulers of ancjent Rome than they were of many rulers in comparatively recent British • .history. To this, day tourists in Rome were often pressed to buy .reputedly ancient and genuine Roman'coins many of which, he feared, were made in Birmingham. - . . Archdeacon Gavin was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his interesting historical review.