Setting up an index of Celtic coins found in Britain was first thought of in 1959 by the archaeologist Professor Sheppard Frere and the numismatist Derek Allen. The growth of the CCI testifies to a commensurate increase in co-operation between professional archaeologists and amateur metal detectorists…
Everybody all over the world is acquainted with the American dollar. But did you ever have a closer look at the three smallest denominations of US coinage? They represent the American conception of the world, too. At the risk of boring our constant readers from the United States, here is a short comment on the subjects pictured there…
This is the story of a ring, bought from an Arab in Jerusalem, the feasts of Shavout and Sukkot and a coin of the Jewish War…
Do you know actually, who invented the fashion to throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome in order to return to the Eternal City? If you do not, you will find the answer within this article…
Inspired by a visit of the church of Santa Croce. David Hendin recalls to us the story of Helena, mother of Constantine, a “rags to riches” story, which ends with the first Christian pilgrim establishing the tradition of pilgrimage to the Holy Land and bringing to Rome pieces of the True Cross…
Most probably every collector of Roman Republican coins is aware of the pieces of Scribonius Libo showing the Puteal Scribonis. But hands up anyone who really knows what that is…
A coin of Trajan shows a temple for Honos in great detail. Honos? You don’t know this Roman deity? Join us and you will get to know her…
Hands up anyone who hasn’t come to be annoyed by the tangled mass of regulations accompanying our tax collection. Perhaps at different times, the situation had been better… Perhaps in Rome?
In 1462, there was a great fire to be witnessed in Rome: Pope Pius II burnt the effigy of Sigismondo Malatesta, once beloved son and captain-general of the Holy Roman Church. Who was this man? A beast? The anti-christ? Or simply a child of one’s times?
Aristotle, in his work on the structure of the Tarentine government, likewise described the coins of the city. He remarked that they depicted Taras, son of Poseidon, riding a dolphin. Was he right? Or is there another, more possible, option?
