Монети и пломби от времето на тетрархията, открити в Сердика

Coins and leads from the time of the Tetrarchy found in Serdica

Abstract

The work presents two lead seals and two coins from the time of the Tetrarchy found on the territory of Antique Serdica (investigations 2010 – 2017). The first piece is a lead seal. Its obverse is a flat surface round in shape. The limitative field displays two pairs of heads arranged in two rows one above the other and one facing the other one. There is an orb up above the heads with Victoria on it, her arms outstretched probably each holding a wreath. The images below are of lower relief. Between them one can notice the contours of an orb presumably with Victoria standing on it similarly to the upper row. No traces of a legend or single letters. The arrangement of the figures is interpreted as the four rulers reigning at the time of the Tetrarchy – both Augusts above, and the Caesars below, with Victoria in-between crowning them with a wreath. The reverse of the lead resembles a semi-sphere. On its basis a groove has been left technologically, with two openings for the string to seal up the documents (of a scroll) or various tares containing duty-paid and marked commodity. The lead seal is measuring 12 mm in diameter and 8 mm in height. So far a seal with representations of 4 heads is not known from Bulgaria, though similar pieces have been published from Romania, Serbia, and Ӧsterreich.
In 2016 still another lead seal relating to the same age was found on the territory of Antique Serdica, at the site of the Western fortress gates. It represents a lead plate rectangular in shape its periphery raised. In the enclosed field four half-length figures are presented front, arranged side by side. Compositionally they are divided into pairs, one facing the other. In each pair the left figure is larger than the adjacent one on the right. The surface of the images is rather worn-out; however, it appears that with all figures the left hand is depicted high in front of the chest. In the middle between the pairs of images, the lead is destroyed, at the spot where the groove for the string was passing, securing the seal to the object (a scroll or certain tare). The reverse has an uneven surface and in the middle of the plate there is a protrusion below which the groove is running. The artifact is 24 mm long; 13 mm wide; 7 mm max. high; and 6,10 g in weight. The four figures arranged in pairs might be associated with the four Tetrarchs already mentioned. By means of artistic techniques such as this kind of artifacts allows, in each pair one figure is smaller than the other, thus emphasizing the different rank of August – Caesar of the characters. Lead seals identical to the one described above have not been published so far. It seems logical, having in mind that each atelier on the territory of the Empire producing lead seals to serve a certain area had the freedom to choose a composition, design and scenes representing the imperial governance.
As a result of the monetary reform of Emperor Diocletian they began to mint argenteus. It was about 3 g in weight (1/96 of the Roman pound) and remained in use during the period of 294 – 310. These coins are relatively rare due to the fact that for the high quality of the silver they were removed from circulation soon after their issue. A similar piece was found during the excavations at the Western fortress gates. The coin is described as follow:
Obverse: CONSTAN TIVS CAES Head laurelled to the right.
Reverse: VIRTVS MILITVM Four Tetrarchs perform sacrifice over three-leg altar. In the exergue Z.
Silver; 19 mm; 2,94 g. The coin was struck in the mint of Rome, officina – Z.
From the period following the change of the Augusts and Caesars in the rule of the Empire in 305, a very well preserved coin of Maximinus Daia (308 – 313) has been found in Serdica. Its description is as follows:
Obverse: MAXIMINVS P F AVG Bust laurelled to the right.
Reverse: SOLI INVI_C_TO COMITI Sol standing to right, head to left, chlamys over the shoulders; right hand raised, left holds globe. In the exergue PT. AE; 21 mm; 3,60 g. The coin was struck in the mint of Ticinum in 312 – 313, that means in the last year of his reign (RIC VI, 130).