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The Classification and Interpretation of Romano-British Treasures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2011

Catherine Johns
Catherine Johns
Affiliation:
Department of Prehistoric and Romano-British Antiquities, British Museum
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Extract

This paper is an attempt to address some of the theoretical issues relating to the study of Roman treasure hoards from Britain. Some years ago the main problems were succinctly and helpfully outlined by Reece, but the study of treasures has remained unfashionable amongst those who have been interested in theoretical approaches, and in recent years few scholars of Roman Britain have devoted much thought to their classification and interpretation. Although many of the points raised below may appear obvious, it is clear that this subject requires more intensive debate, and an attempt to set out some basic parameters is overdue.

Type
Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 27 , November 1996 , pp. 1 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Catherine Johns 1996. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

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5 The proposed changes in English law would simplify and widen the definition of Treasure Trove to include archaeologically associated objects not made of precious metal, and would also dispense with the concept of animus revertendi. Scottish Treasure Trove law belongs to a separate legal tradition and its definitions and provisions differ from those which apply in England and Wales.

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11 M. Millett, ‘Treasure: interpreting Roman hoards’, in S. Cottam, D. Dungworth, S. Scott and J. Taylor (eds), TRAC 94 (1994), 99–106.

12 Ancient references to the deliberate concealment of treasure are discussed in C. Johns, ‘Romano-British precious-metal hoards: some comments on Martin Millett's paper’, in S. Cottam, D. Dungworth, S. Scott and J. Taylor (eds), TRAC 94 (1994), 107–17.

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19 Johns and Bland, op. cit. (note 17), 166–7.

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21 My use of the traditional term craftsman is not intended to preclude the possibility that women or girls may have been involved in manufacturing. We have no indication of the sex of artisans practising various crafts in Roman Britain.

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27 Some gifts could be so large and complex that they required the drawing up of legal agreements, e.g. the bequest made in A.D. 104 to the city of Ephesos and the cult of Artemis by C. Vibius Salutaris: G.M. Rogers, The Sacred Identity of Ephesos (1991).

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29 Cassius Dio LI.5. (trans. E. Cary, Loeb Classical Library).

30 Libanius, Or. XXIII. 18.1 owe this reference to Kenneth Painter.

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34 Herodian 1.14.2–3 (trans. C.R. Whittaker, Loeb Classical Library).

35 Juvenal 14.260–1 (trans. G.G. Ramsay, Loeb Classical Library).

36 A. Kindler, ‘The Synagogue Treasure of Meroth, Eastern Upper Galilee, Israel’, in I. Carradice et al. (eds), Actes du ioième Congrès International de Numismatique (1986), 315–20.

37 Cheesman, op. cit. (note 33), 34.

38 See discussion in Johns, op. cit. (note 12), 112–13.

39 Bradley, op. cit. (note 4).

40 The status of Roman weapons found in rivers is examined by E. Künzl in an appendix (‘Mainzer Flussfunde’) to his article, ‘Gladiusdekorationen frühen römischen Kaiserzeit: Dynastische Legitimation, Victoria und Aurea Aetas’, Jahrbuch RGZM (forthcoming).

41 Poulson and Scott, op. cit. (note 25), 127–30.

42 D. Zienkiewicz, The Legionary Fortress Baths at Caerleon: Vol. II, the Finds (1986), 117–41.

43 Strabo IV.1.13 (trans. H.L. Jones, Loeb Classical Library).

44 Reece, op. cit. (note 1), 264.

45 K. Randsborg, The Viking Age in Denmark (1980), 139.

46 Diodorus Siculus V.37.

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50 Johns, op. cit. (note 22).

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53 X. Loriot, B. Rémy and A. Buisson, Corpus des trésors monétaires antiques de la France: Tome V, Rhône-Alpes (1987), 77–8.

54 Millett, op. cit. (note 11).