From the quantity of oyster-shells and bones found mixed with the broken pottery, the spot would seem to have been a rubbish-hole for the camp. Roman remains are known to have been found in this neighbourhood for a long period. Sir Thomas Browne, in his Hydriotaphia, written in 1658, observes that the most frequent discovery of urns and coins in Norfolk "is made at the two Castors by Norwich and Yarmouth, at Burgh Castle, and Brancaster." In a field at the north-west of the church, and near the side of the Norwich road, a bricked pit, eleven feet long, seven feet wide, and about four feet in depth, was discovered in 1837: it contained bones of the ox and pig, mixed with fragments of Roman pottery and oyster-shells. This was fully described by the Rev. Thomas Clowes in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. viii., New Series, p. 518. In 1851, a Roman kiln, containing two mutilated urns, was also brought to light in this locality.2 Many skeletons have been found in the field in which the pit was discovered, and also in one south of the church, called East Bloody Burgh Furlong. The Rev. John Gunn also has in his possession a perfect urn, which was found in a clay-pit near the church; it was buried about two feet below the surface, the mouth covered with a tile, and it contained bones and earth; he also has a fragment of Samian ware with figures representing the hunting of the hare. Coins are very frequently turned up by the plough in the fields in the vicinity of the reservoir, and having collected all that could be obtained from the labourers in the neighbourhood, I gave them to the late Mr. Taylor, who examined and described them, and also all those in two or three private collections. He prepared the following list, intending to offer 2 Norfolk Archæology, iv., 352. it to our Society for publication, but omitted to do so; and after his untimely death, thinking it would form an interesting companion list to those of the coins found at Caister near Norwich, (published in vol. iv., p. 234, and vol. v., p. 203, of the Norfolk Archæology) I procured it from his family, and now bring it before the Society, that his intention may be carried out. The date of the coins identified and described extend over a period of two hundred and sixty-five years, viz., from about A.D. 80 to A.D. 370. Mr. Taylor observed that, "There are also numberless small brass coins, probably Romano-British, found in this as in other Roman stations in England. They are frequently very minute, and are extremely barbarous imitations of the coins of the Lower Empire. The greater part attempt to depict a head with radiated crown, and a very clumsy imitation of a Roman reverse. There is scarcely any legend,—a letter or two only perhaps, and those scarcely recognisable. They were probably struck in the interval between the Roman evacuation and the Saxon invasion. The earlier Kentish Sceattas of the latter people are often equally rude attempts at the Roman type." 1. Antoninus Pius, AR. ANTONINVS. AVG. PIVS. P. P. TR. P. XII. Reverse: cos. II. Figure standing, heaping ears of corn in a modius; a plough in her left hand. (Also an illegible coin of Ant. Pius in Middle Brass.) 2. Marcus Aurelius, Æ. i. M. ANTONINVS. AVG. TR. P. XXV. Reverse: IMP. VI. COS. III. A Victory, elate, supporting a shield on a fir tree. On the shield: VIC. GER. This coin commemorates the victory over the Marcomanni in his third consulship.-Cooke's Medallic History of Imperial Rome. 3. Lucius Verus, Æ. i. L. AVREL. VERVS. AVG. ARMENIAC. Reverse: cos. III. Figure standing; a balance in right hand, a cornucopiæ in left. 4. Commodus, Æ. i. M. COMMODVS. ANTONINVS. AVG. PIVS. Reverse: ANN. AVG. TR. P. VIII. COS. IIII. P. P. A female figure holding a Victory with laurel branch in her right hand; a cornucopiæ in her left. At her side is a vase filled with ears of corn; on her left, a portion of a ship, in which are three infants. Cooke describes a similar reverse thus: The emperor, with a cornucopiæ in his left hand, and the figure of Ceres in his right; at his feet is a measure of wheat, and behind him, a ship with rowers. Legend: ANN. AVG. TR. P. VIII. IMP. VI. COS.... Commemorating the establishment of a fleet by which regular supplies of corn were imported into Africa from Rome. 5. Septimus Severus, AR. SEVER.... RT. MAX. Reverse: VIRTVS. AVGG. Valour armed; a Victory in his right hand, a lance in left, leaning on a shield. 6. Caracalla, AR. ANTONINVS. PIVS. AVG. Reverse PART. MAX. PONT. TR. P. IIII. The Parthian Trophy, with two captives. 7. Elagabalus, AR. IMP. ANTONINVS. PIVS. AVG. Reverse: SVMMVS. SACERDOS. AVG. The Emperor sacrificing as Priest of the Sun, which appears over head; Patera in his right hand, laurel branch in his left. The Phoenician name of the Sun is El Gabal, Deus Creator; hence Elagabalus. Cooke. 8. Julia Paula, AR. IVLIA. PAVLA. AVG. Reverse: CONCORDIA. The Em press, sitting in her right hand a patera; below, a star, or perhaps the sun. This coin is said to commemorate her marriage with Elagabalus. 9. Severus Alexander, AR. IMP. C. M. AVR. SEV. ALEXANDER, AVG. Reverse: P. M. TR. P. IIII. COS. II. P. P. A soldier: a spear in his right hand, a shield in his left. 10. Julia Mamæa, AR. IVLIA. MAMAEA. AVG. Reverse: IVNO. CONSERVATRIX. The goddess standing: a patera in her right hand, a lance in her left, her peacock at her feet. 11. Gordian III., AR. TITIA. AVG. N. IMP. C. GORDIANVS. PIVS. FEL. AVG. Reverse: LAE Figure of Joy a garland in her right hand; in her left, an anchor (or perhaps the hasta pura). 12. Valerian, AR. IMP. C. P. LIC. VALERIANVS. AVG. Head of Valerian, with radiated crown. Reverse: FIDES. MILITVM. A female figure with a standard in either hand: probably those of the 30th and 6th legions, Ulpia and Pia Fidelis, which were particularly attached to Valerian. Much re 13. Gallienus, Æ. iii. 14. GALLIENVS. AVG. Reverse: LAETITIA. AVG. sembling No. 11. GALLIENVS. AVG. Reverse: FORTVNA. REDVx. Female standing a ship's rudder in her right, a cornucopiæ in her left hand. GALLIENVS. AVG. Reverse: ABVNDANTIA. AVG. Plenty pouring riches from a cornucopiæ. In the field: on the left, s. GALLIENVS. AVG. Reverse: MARTI. PACIFERO. Mars holding aloft an olive branch, and touching a spear and shield with his left hand. GALLIENVS. AVG. The flying gryphon. GALLIENVS. AVG. stag. GALLIENVS. AVG. eagle displayed. 23. Gallienus, AR. (base). Reverse: APOLLINI. CONS. AVG. Reverse: DIANAE. CONS. AVG. A Reverse: A consecration type. An GALLIENVS. P. F. AVG. Armed bust of the Emperor: a lance on his right shoulder, a shield in his left hand. Reverse: GERMANICUS. MAXV. A trophy between two captives sitting, their hands bound behind their backs. This coin is by no means of usual occurrence. The title of Germanicus Maximus was given to Gallienus when, having been appointed his father's colleague, he was sent into Gaul to repel the attacks of the Germans. These he thoroughly vanquished. Gruter gives an inscription in which he is called Dacicus and Germanicus Maximus, p. 275. 24. Salonina, Æ. iii. SALONINA. AVG. Reverse: PVDICITIA. A female figure veiling her face with her right hand, a spear held horizontally in the other. 25. Postumus, AR. IMP. C. POSTVMVS. P. F. AVG. Reverse: IOVI. PROPVGNATORI. Jupiter, hurling lightning with his right hand, and holding his eagle with left. 26. Postumus (jun?) E. iij. IMP. C. POSTVMVS. P. F. AVG. Rev.: VICTORIA. AVG. Victory in her right hand a crown, in her left a palm, her right foot on a sitting captive. : 27. Victorinus, E. iij. 28. E. iij. Several types, barbaric and illegible. IMP. C. VICTORINVS. P. f. avg. Reverse: OIC ... This coin, especially on the reverse, which bears a rude figure blowing a trumpet, is of the rudest fabric, and is probably of barbarian workBandini gives several examples of similarly inexplicable manship. legends. 29. Tetricus, Æ. iij. IMP. C. TETRICVS. P. F. AVG. Reverse PAX. AUG. Peace, with olive branch and spear: 30. Tetricus, E. iij. IMP. C. TETRICVS. P. f. avg. Rev. FIDES. MILITVM. 32. Tetricus, jun., E. iij. c. PE. TETRICVS. CAES. The sacrificial instruments. 33. 34. Claudius II. E. iij. E. iij. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. Reverse: PIETAS. AVGG. Reverse: obliterated. Reverse: MARS. VLTOR. Mars, nude, helmeted, with spear and shield. IMP. CLAVDIVS. AVG. Reverse: GENIVS. AVG. A nude figure, with the modius on his head, standing by an altar and holding a patera. Æ. iij. IMP. C. CLAVDIVS. AVG. Reverse: ÆQVITAS. AVG. Equity, standing, with balance in her right and cornucopiæ in her left hand. E. iij. IMP. C. CLAVDIVS. AVG. Reverse: FIDES. EXERC. A figure, standing, a standard erect in her right, another held transversely in her left hand. E. iij. A similar type, but the eagle holds a thunderbolt. 43. Aurelian, E. iij. IMP. AVRELIANVS. AVG. Reverse: DACIA. FELIX. A female figure holding a staff surmounted by an ass's head. 44. Diocletian, E. ii. IMP. C. DIOCLETIANVS. P. F. AVG. 46. Carausius, E. iij. IMP. C. CARAVSIVS. P. F. avg. Reverse: GENIO. Reverse: resem- Reverse: PAX. AVG. Type as No. 29, lance held transversely. Exergue: M. L. (Moneta Londinensis.) E. iij. A similar type, but the figure leans on the lance. No letters in exergue. |