Description
WHAT COINS TEACH US ABOUT THE ANCIENT WORLD: A HOARD
Book Summary
This book offers a fascinating window into the past through the study of a hoard of 1,050 denarii found in 1969 at Peña del Castellar (Cuenca). The author, María Teresa Serrano García, catalogs and analyzes 64 of these coins preserved in the Archaeological Museum of Cuenca, using them as a common thread to reconstruct the province's political and economic history. The work combines numismatic research with historical outreach, providing a valuable perspective on life in the ancient world based on a specific archaeological find.
What is it about?
The book is structured around the discovery and study of the hoard of Roman denarii found in Villar del Humo. The author not only describes the circumstances of the discovery and the dispersal of the coins, but also performs a detailed cataloging of the preserved currency. Based on this numismatic analysis, the work expands to offer a summary of the historical evolution of the province of Cuenca, connecting the numismatic pieces with the region's major archaeological sites such as Segóbriga, Valeria, Ercávica, and Noheda. The text explains how these coins, beyond their economic value, are material testimonies that reveal information about the trade, politics, and daily life of the societies that minted and used them.
Main themes
- Roman numismatics: cataloging and study of denarii as a historical source.
- Archaeology of the province of Cuenca: analysis of key sites such as Segóbriga, Valeria, and Ercávica.
- Political and economic history of the ancient world through monetary circulation.
- Research methodology regarding hoards and archaeological finds.
- Cultural heritage and preservation of numismatic collections in museums.
Who is it recommended for?
It is aimed at researchers and students of numismatics and classical archaeology, as well as historians interested in Roman Hispania. It is also of great interest to archaeology enthusiasts, collectors of ancient coins, and any reader curious to discover how a specific find can illuminate aspects of a region's past. It is especially relevant for those with an interest in the historical heritage of the province of Cuenca.
What this book contributes
- A detailed and accessible study of a hoard of Roman denarii, with a catalog of the preserved pieces.
- A direct connection between numismatics and regional history, showing how coins reflect the political and economic evolution of Cuenca.
- An outreach perspective that brings archaeological research to the general public without losing scientific rigor.
- An analysis that contextualizes the find within the area's archaeological richness, linking it to emblematic sites.
Technical specifications
- Author: SERRANO GARCIA, MARIA TERESA
- Publisher: Glyphos Publicaciones
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: CLASSICAL GREEK AND ROMAN ARCHAEOLOGY
- Collection: FONDO
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: April 2024
- Number of pages: 188
- Weight: 264 g
Editorial review
This work constitutes a solid and specialized contribution to the field of numismatics and provincial archaeology. Its main value lies in the author's ability to transform a technical cataloging study into a historical narrative that connects the archaeological object with the territory. It is of interest both to the specialist seeking precise data on the hoard and to the reader interested in understanding how coins can be primary historical documents. It is a recommended read for those who wish to deepen their knowledge of the ancient world from a concrete and well-documented perspective.