A team from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) in France has unearthed three ancient vessels in the village of Senon, filled to the brim with tens of thousands of from the Roman Empire. About 1,700 years ago, these jars were buried in pits hidden beneath the floor of one of the houses in the ancient settlement, serving as a sort of safe or piggy bank.
In total, researchers discovered more than 40,000 Roman coins. The first piggy bank contained around 38 kilograms of metal currency, which translates to approximately 23,000 to 24,000 coins,” reported Live Science Vincent Geneviève, the lead numismatist at INRAP who specializes in treasure analysis.
The second amphora weighed about 50 kilograms, “and judging by the 400 coins extracted from the neck of the jar, which broke upon discovery, it could have contained between 18,000 and 19,000 coins,” Geneviève said. The third amphora was likely discovered long ago: only three coins remained in the pit where the vessel once stood.
In this area, scholars have found around 30 treasures of coins over the years. Thus, the true significance of this discovery lies not just in the number of coins, but in the detailed information about the location of the treasure finds.
What else is known about these ancient Roman treasures?
Analysis revealed that the amphorae were buried between 280 and 310 AD. The coins feature images of emperors Victorinus, Tetricus I, and his son Tetricus II, who ruled over the so-called Gallic Empire from 260 to 274 AD.
The amphorae filled with coins were carefully buried in pits beneath the living room floor of one of the houses. The openings of the jars were level with the ground, making them easily accessible, akin to an ancient safe.
INRAP archaeologists suggested that the owners of these vessels were not poor. They used the amphorae as piggy banks for long-term savings. This residential area featured stone buildings with heated floors, cellars, and workshops with furnaces. Nearby stood a Roman outpost.
In the early 4th century, a massive fire destroyed the settlement. After it was rebuilt, a second fire occurred, leaving nothing behind—except for the coin treasures that were uncovered nearly two millennia later.
