Divers off the coast of Sardinia.Photo:Italian Culture Ministry
Italian Culture Ministry
A diver off the coast of Sardinia, Italy made quite the unexpected discovery when he spotted something metallic in the sea: a trove of ancient coins.
Also known as follis, the ministry determined that these Roman coins possibly date back to the first half of the fourth century (between 324 to 340 CE), per the AP. The coins were introduced around 294 AD during the rise of Roman emperor Diocletian, according toThe Guardian.
While the ministry said they did not know the exact amount of how many were found, they suspect that there were between 30,000 and 50,000 coins due to its weight, the AP andCNNreport.
Ancient bronze coins.Italian Culture Ministry
“All the coins were in an excellent and rare state of preservation,” the ministry said, per AP. Four of the coins were damaged but were still able to be read.
The coins were also found alongside the remains of amphorae, which are Greek jugs with an oval body, narrow neck and two handles, the outlet reported.
Ancient bronze coins.Italian Culture Ministry Via AP
Italian Culture Ministry Via AP
Italy’s Ministry of Culture did not immediately reply to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Luigi La Rocca, the ministry’s director general of archaeology, fine arts and landscape for the region, said in a statement to CNN that the treasure “represents one of the most important discoveries of numismatic finds in recent years.”
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This wasn’t the first time that Roman coins of this type were found in waters off the coast of Europe. In 2013, diver Laurence Egerton found 22,888 coins under the sea near the site of a Roman villa and a military building in Seaton, United Kingdom, according toThe Guardian.
source: people.com
