CAESAREA MINT COINS UNCOVERED IN GEORGIA

Bronze and silver Roman coins have been discovered by a Polish-Georgian team of archaeologists conducting excavations in the Roman fort of Apsaros Georgia. According to the discoverers, this could be a small part of a larger treasure.

The oldest coins in the find were minted during the reign of Hadrian (117-138 AD); the youngest come from the last years of the reign of Septimius Severus (beginning of the 3rd century AD).

"All coins were found very close to each other in the Roman fort Apsaros" - told PAP Dr. Radoslaw Karasiewicz-Szczypiorski from the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw, project leader from the Polish side. Georgian partner is Prof. Shota Mamuladze from the Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University and Gonio-Apsaros Museum and Reserve.

Polish and Georgian researchers will search for more coins. The excavation season will continue until the end of July. According to the numismatics expert of the expedition, Dr. Piotr Jaworski from the Institute of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw, the discovered coins might be a small part of a larger treasure. It could be scattered as a result of later earthworks and construction works in the fort. After the Romans, Byzantine, Ottoman and even Soviet garrisons were also stationed in the fort.

All discovered coins come from the mint in Caesarea, the capital of Cappadocia - the place located nearly 1000 km from Apsaros. They were made of bronze and silver.

To read the complete article, see:
A treasure of silver and bronze coins discovered in Georgia (http://scienceinpoland.pap.pl/en/news/news%2C30287%2Ctreasure-silver-and-bronze-coins-discovered-georgia.html)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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