Archaeologists from the University of Alicante, and the
Spanish Civil Guard Special Underwater Brigade (GEAS), in collaboration with the Town Council of Xàbia, has recovered a
hoard of 53
gold coins from the 4th and 5th century AD.
The horde was identified after two amateur free divers discovered 8 coins in the bay of Portitxol in Xàbia.
The bay of Portitxol is an
area well known for the
abundance of underwater archaeological remains, where studies have previously found anchors,
amphora, ceramics, and artefacts associated with ancient navigation.
In a series of underwater studies, researchers recovered 53
Roman coins from the late
Roman period around the 4th and 5th century AD, consisting of coins depicting
Valentinian I (3 coins),
Valentinian II (7 coins),
Theodosius I (15 coins),
Arcadius (17 coins),
Honorius (10 coins), and an unidentified coin. The team also discovered nails, in addition to deteriorated lead remains which may belong to a sea chest.
Professor in Ancient
History, Jaime Molina, from the University of Alicante said: “This is one of the largest sets of
Roman gold coins found in
Spain and Europe.” Molina added: “This is an exceptional archaeological and historical find, since it can offer a multitude of new information to understand the final phase of the fall of the Western
Roman Empire.”
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/09/hoard-of-roman-gold-coins-recovered-from-seabed/141483?amp