Hoard and distribution evidence has shown that most of the so-called
barbaric imitations was actually made, and used, inside the Empire. Even very "
barbaric" looking ones with entirely blundered legends. The notion that they all come from
barbaric tribes is wrong.
It is uncertain exactly why coin designs were so "
barbaric". Some were undoubtedly due to lack of skill, others may have incorporated regional artistic styles, others may have been done on purpose to show that you were making a "currency of necessity" to meet a shortage and not engaging in true counterfeiting, as many of these
imitative types were clearly tolerated by officials.
The term "
barbaric" therefore is more often used today to refer to
style - without actual judgement as to whether it was made inside or outside the Empire.
Similarly the term "
contemporary imitation" is used, often in preference to the more judgmental "
barbaric", to signify a coin
type that is ancient but was not official.
Some related reading suggestions:
Jeremie Chameroy, Comment les monnaies romaines étaient-elles exportées.
Alexander Burschke, Circulation of
Roman Coinage in Northern Europe in Late
AntiquityDelia Moisil, The Danube
Limes and Barbaricum (294-498 AD): A Study in Coin Circulation.
The coin in question (a beautiful example by the way) is clearly a
contemporary imitation of a
FEL TEMP REPARATIO Falling Horseman. With the blundered legends and odd
style one could be forgiven for calling it a
barbaric imitation - though that does not indicate geographic origin.
Interestingly, the
bust lacks diadem and ties, which indicates a
caesar on official coins. While exaggerated, the long hair seems to indicate an imitation of an early coin of Gallus.
SC