Relations between two worlds - Roman and Barbarian - constitute a problem which has attracted the attention of several generations of scholars. Already in the late eighteen hundreds a distinct field of study began to emerge - primarily the domain of interest for archaeologists, historians and numismatists. The question of contacts between the Empire and peoples inhabiting lands outside the 'limes' was examined both from the point of view of Roman influence on Barbarians and vice versa, as well as in a broader context, as an illustration of contacts between societies at different levels of development of civilization.
In the present work we set out to explore certain manifestations of the relations between these two worlds during a specific period when the relationships in question began to assume a completely novel shape in comparison to that of the bygone 'Golden Age' of the Empire, when the initiative was in Roman hands. The Antoninę period witnessed an active policy towards Barbaricum, coupled with intensive economic exploitation of the area. However, during the period of crisis in the 3rd century AD the form of contacts underwent such considerable transformation as to invalidate, in our opinion, all attempts to project the picture of former far-reaching commercial links into the period under discussion. Around AD 250 a crucial change in the balance of power between the Empire and Barbaricum took place with the initiative passing into the hands of Barbarians, Germanic tribes in particular, the result being a prevalence of non-economic contacts.
Author(s): Aleksander Bursche
Series: Studien zu Fundmünzen der Antike (SFMA), 11
Publisher: Gebr. Mann Verlag
Year: 1996
Language: English
Pages: 290
City: Berlin
Acknowledgments 7
1. Preface 9
2. Theory 18
2.1. Coin finds in the context of archaeological cultures 18
2.2. Statistics 19
2.3. Model of Roman-Barbarian relations 20
2.4. Former views 23
3. State of research 26
3.1. Publication of sources 26
3.2. Representativeness 36
3.2.1. Germany 39
3.2.2. Austro-Hungary 42
3.2.3. Poland under the Russian partition 44
3.2.4. The Russian Empire 49
3.2.5. Independent Poland 49
3.2.6. Conclusions 53
3.3. Coin circulation in the Roman Empire during the 3rd and 4th centuries AD 58
4. Coins and medallions from 193-395 AD in Barbaricum 66
4.1. Description of finds 66
4.2. Chronological distribution 67
4.3. Hoards and denominations. Force of contact 84
4.4. Denominations and mints. Direction of contact 91
5. Contacts of the Roman Empire with Barbaricum 95
5.1. Time and place of outflow of coin streams and waves 95
5.2. Coin stream outflow in the light of written sources 101
5.2.1. Commerce and warfare 101
5.2.2. Tributes and ransoms 106
5.2.3. 'Annua munera' 110
5.2.4. 'Stipendia' and 'donativa' 114
5.2.5. 'Annonae foederaticae' 117
5.2.6. Gifts 120
5.2.7. Conclusions 121
5.3. Roman-Barbarian relations in the light of numismatic finds 123
5.3.1. AD 194 123
5.3.2. The final phase of commerce 125
5.3.3. Crisis and warfare 127
5.3.4. Stabilization under the Constantinian dynasty 129
5.3.5. The breakdown under the House of Valentinian 133
6. Conclusions 135
7. Deutsche Zusammenfassung 138
8. List of finds 144
8.1. List of abbreviations 145
8.2. Wielbark Culture 147
8.3. Luboszyce Culture 161
8.4. Westbalt Culture 170
8.5. Przeworsk Culture 184
8.6. Dębczyno Group 215
9. Bibliography 221
9.1. List of abbreviations 221
9.2. Sources 224
9.3. Coin catalogues 225
9.4. Literature 226
10. Tables 268
