Counterfeits, Imitations, and Copies of Roman Imperial Denarii

Overview & Synopsis

Roman Imperial denarii from the first–third cen­turies AD are, almost without exception, the most common ancient coinage to be found in Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe beyond the Roman limes. Perhaps surprisingly, however, a signifi­cant percentage of these coins are in fact coun­terfeit, comprised largely of denarii subaerati (plated denarii, fourrées) and denarii flati (base-metal cast copies). Moreover, these fake coins were not only manufactured by Romans them­selves, but also by barbarian peoples in Eastern Europe, far from the Roman limes, in what should be considered a mass-scale phenomena. This volume draws together archaeologi­cal, numismatic, and historical research in order to offer a new assessment of the production and use of counterfeit Roman Imperial denarii both within the European provinces of the Roman Empire and in European Barbaricum. Drawing on the results of the research project Barbarian Fakers. Manufacturing and Use of Counterfeit Roman Imperial Denarii in East-Central Europe in Antiquity, from the University of Warsaw, the papers gathered here explore the transfer of ideas, technology, and finished products that led to the transfer of counterfeit coinage across the Empire, and shed light on how, why, and when such coins were created and used.