ROMAN RICHES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19477, 12 May 1925, Page 9

ROMAN RICHES.

FOUND AT RICHBOROUGII. OVER BCOO COINS IN CASTLE RUINS. Under the expert supervision of Mr Weller Klein. E.S.A., who is now acting ou instructions from the Office, of Works, some very interesting and highly important discoveries of Roman coins have been made during the excavations of the ruins of Richborough Castle, near Sandwich, tho ancient Rutupiai. From a historical and archaeological pent of view, these coins are of exceptional impel t a iko Within the la.-t few weeks some 8600 have been found during the removal of tho (o;i soil lo a depth of three feet. Handcuffs, with hum.in bones, many dagger.-,, spearheads, and iron calthrops, an ingenious but brutal device tor impeding advancing cavalry, similar lo those used by the Germans during the war, have also been unearthed. An interesting point About {lie ruins is the work of the fomth century, in the period followng the reign of Constantine the Great. A large proportion of (he coins are those of the son of the Great Emperor, almost (he last to hold sway over the whole of tho western domain of the Caesars. But hundreds of coins of Arcadius, who. after file division of the empire, ruled the Byzantine realm, have hem collected. A coin found only a few weeks ago is ihe second gold coin of Arcadius unearthed at. Ricliborough, and both look as well preserved as if just minted. Coins from tho Roman minks at, London and Colchester, and others from the minks at Lyons, Amiens, and Milan have been dug out. A mediaeval chapel, revealed some few months ago, now seems to be a much more imports'll structure (ban was previously conjectured.. It is suggested (hat some mediaeval hermit took up Iris abode in tho ruins and that after Iris death a chapel va.s erected to his memory. Graves have been disclosed outside this chapel, and one within its walls may possibly have been that of a hermit who used the chapel as his oratory. Th.i question of water supply for the large garrison quartered within the castrum has hitherto been a matter of some .speculation, but th l discovery of a largo well with water still percolating at a depth ot 30 feet has (feared up this matter. A curious feature of this well is a framework of. large oak timbers, consisting of baulks 13in by 13in, enclosing a space about 4ft 6in square. The timbers aro black, but it is amazing to find any woodwork remaining from so early a period as that of the Roman occupation. Richborongh Castle is unique as a Roman fortress, with massive walls as complete as any iu this country.