Ancient Roman Silver Coins Unearthed in the Mediterranean, Said to Be Hidden During Pirate Raids

A trove of Roman silver coins found in Pantelleria may have been hidden from pirates over 2,000 years ago.

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 8 September 2024 17:53 IST

Ancient Roman Silver Coins Unearthed in the Mediterranean, Said to Be Hidden During Pirate Raids

Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Yuri Krupenin

Silver 'denarii' coins, minted in Rome over 2,000 years ago, show an unidentified head

Highlights

Roman silver coins discovered in Pantelleria
Stash hidden during ancient pirate attacks
Coins minted between 94 and 74 B.C.

A significant discovery of ancient silver coins has been made on the Mediterranean island of Pantelleria, located between Sicily and Tunisia. Archaeologists from the University of Tübingen, Germany, unearthed 27 Roman silver coins, known as "denarii," dating back more than 2,000 years. The coins were found hidden in a hole in the wall during excavations at the Acropolis of Santa Teresa and San Marco. Some of these coins feature a human head profile, which remains unidentified.

Pirate Attack Theory

It is believed that the coins were hidden during one of the many pirate raids that plagued the region around 94 to 74 B.C., a period when the Roman Republic ruled. The discovery was made after earth from the site slipped following rainy weather, revealing part of the stash. The rest of the coins were found under a boulder. According to archaeologist Thomas Schäfer, the coins may have been concealed by locals during a pirate attack.

Pirates frequently raided coastal areas across the eastern Mediterranean until the Roman general Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, known as Pompey the Great, defeated them in 67 B.C.

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Roman Ruins and Previous Discoveries

The discovery of these coins occurred near an earlier find – the heads of three Roman statues. These marble heads included portrayals of Julius Caesar, Emperor Titus (who ruled from A.D. 79 to 81), and a woman who could be Agrippina the Elder, the granddaughter of Augustus, or Antonia the Younger, daughter of Mark Antony.

The archaeological site, once a Roman settlement known as Cossyra or Cossura, remains untouched by looters and features an assembly area known as a "comitium." Only five such locations have been found in Italy, making this a significant and well-preserved find.

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