BRONZE ROMAN PROVINCIAL COINS (THE 2ND-3RD CENTURY) FROM THE NUMISMATIC
COLLECTION OF THE MUSEUM OF HISTORY IN KYUSTENDIL
Svetoslava FILIPOVA
(summary)
The paper is aimed at presenting the bronze Roman coins struck by the municipality administrations of
the Eastern provinces of the Roman empire, which were found during archaeological excavations and kept
in the Numismatic Collection of the Regional Museum of History in Kyustendil. These coins are one of the
most reliable sources of information about the coin circulation and the trade relations during particular
historical periods. They are loaded with specific information, which the coins entering the museum
collections by accident do not provide.
The author presents provincial coins from 21 archaeological sites, which had been situated on the
territory of ancient Pautalia (Kyustendil). They were investigated between 1962 and 1995.
The prevailing number of coins came from Pautalia – 50 pieces. The archaeological excavations in
Kyustendil yielded coins of the following towns of the province of Thracia: Augusta Trajana, Bizia,
Nicopolis as Nestum, Serdica and Philippopolis, the most numerous being the ones of Serdica and
Philippopolis. Just few coins from the towns situated to the north of the Balkan, in the province of Moesia
Inferior were found – Nicopolis as Nestum is represented by a single coin of Geta and Odessus – by a
single coin of Marcus Aurelius. There is an impressive number of coins of Viminatium – 20 pieces. The
excavations in Kyustendil yielded also 10 coins struck in the province of Macedonia and 4 coins of Nicaea,
in Asia Minor.
The review on the Roman bronze provincial coins found during archaeological excavations in
Kyustendil provides data on the trade relations of the town and the coinage circulation there in the period
2nd – 3rd century.
The information presented is liable to complementation when the analysis of the coins found during the
recent excavations is completed and when the data provided by the precisely localized coins in the museum
numismatic collection acquired through purchases and donations is included as well.