Denarii beyond the Empire

Political and Cultural Perspectives on Roman Silver Coins in Barbaricum

Fraser Hunter, Arkadiusz Dymowski, Dorota Dzierzbicka (eds)

Pages: approx. 230 p.
Size:216 x 280 mm
Illustrations:27 b/w, 34 col., 24 tables b/w.

Language(s):English
Publication Year:2026

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ISBN: 978-2-503-61914-9
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From Scotland to India, from Ukraine to Sweden, denarii can tell us stories about relations between Rome and barbaricum over more than half a millennium.

Subject(s)

BIO

Dr Fraser Hunter is Principal Curator of the Iron Age and Roman collections at National Museums Scotland, Edinburgh.
Dr habil. Arkadiusz Dymowski has since 2012 participated in and led research projects on ancient coin finds at the Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw.
Dr Dorota Dzierzbicka is an archaeologist from the Polish Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology UW with a research interest in economic history.

Summary

This volume explores the remarkable history of the Roman denarius, a coin that dominated the ancient world for over four centuries, as seen from outside the frontiers of the Empire — from Scotland to India, and from Ukraine to Sweden. Introduced in the Roman Republic around 211 BCE, the denarius retained its form and function well into the third century CE, even as its silver content declined. While its official use then faded within the Empire, the coin continued to circulate and thrive in barbaricum, outside the Roman limes. Drawing on archaeological discoveries and numismatic analysis, the book examines how the denarius migrated beyond the Roman frontier, influenced local economies, and became embedded in cultural memory. A central focus is the coin’s enduring presence in Northern and Eastern Europe, where thousands have been found. This volume offers fresh perspectives on Roman monetary history and relations across the frontier, showcasing the power of denarii to migrate, to influence, and to transform.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Illustrations

List of Abbreviations

1. Introduction: The Influence of the Denarius beyond the Roman Frontiers
Fraser Hunter and Arkadiusz Dymowski

2. Roman Imperial Silver Coins, their Imitations and Copies in Barbaricum
Aleksander Bursche, Arkadiusz Dymowski, and Kyrylo Myzgin

3. Denarii Finds in Western Moldavia (Romania): A General Overview
Lucian Munteanu

4. Roman Denarii from the Germanic Settlement Era (First to Sixth Century AD) in the Territory of the Czech Republic
Jiří Militký

5. New Insights into the Outflow of Denarii to the Northern German Barbaricum
David Wigg-Wolf

6. The Roman Denarii Found on Gotland: Some Considerations about their Continental Origin
Lennart Lind

7. Denarius Finds from Denmark: Finds from 2009–2018 and Beyond
Helle W. Horsnæs

8. Denarii in Roman Iron Age Scotland: Their Occurrence, Meanings, and Impacts
Fraser Hunter

9. Denarii in Southern Britain Before the Claudian Invasion: The Scale of Their Presence and Methodological Challenges
John Creighton

10. Finds of Roman Denarii from India: A Biographical Approach
Emilia Smagur