Mar 7^th 2011

Next club meeting Monday 4^th April 2011

• Market Tokens By Stuart Adams

Notices

• The date for the Spring Skittles evening is Saturday 7^th May at the Red Lion in Theale. Please speak to the committee if you are interested!
• IMPORTANT – As an experiment the Programme Secretary has invited coin dealership AM Coins to visit us at the April meeting. They have for sale a wide range of English & Foreign coins, plus medallions, tokens etc. So, if this kind of venture might appeal to you, then have your wallets at the ready!

Silchester and the Roman Empire – Mike Fulford

Mike began his talk by showing us (for those of us who didn’t know!) where Silchester is – 10 miles south of Reading and 5 miles north of Basingstoke. The modern village of Silchester sits next to the remains of the Iron Age oppodium and Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum (Calleva translates as ‘woody place’ in Celtic, and Atrebatum refers to the Atrebates kings who rules the area).

Calleva is highly unusual in that it is one of very few Roman towns that did not directly develop into modern times. As such, this village gives excellent archeological access as little to none of the original town has been built on in 1500 years, and included one of the best preserved town walls in the country (approx 1.5miles in length). The amphitheatre is also remarkably well preserved.

Calleva was founded in approximately 27BC-14AD as the civil capital of the Atrebates and was ruled by Tincomarus, Eppillus and Verica, sons of Commius who was a close ally of Julius Ceasar. In 25AD, Calleva was conquered by the Catuvellauni and the land was disputed until around 40AD when Verica fled (or was possibly exiled?) to Rome and demanded assistance from the Emperor Claudius to regain his lands. As a client king and friend of Rome, it is speculated that this may have given Claudius the excuse he needed to invade Britannia once and for all!

After the invasion, Verica may have been restored as king but this is not attested in the historical or archaeological record. In any case a new ruler for the region, Cogidubnus, soon appeared. Cogidubnus may have been an heir of Verica who by this time would have been very elderly indeed.

Soon after this, Calleva was awarded the status of county town, and between 98 and 117AD the forum Basillica was built. The city wall was built by Carausius and Allectus between 286 and 296AD.

Throughout its history, there is evidence of huge amounts of trading by Calleva including coins, pottery, olive oil etc from all over Europe. Finds include a wide variety of gemstones and pins made from Whitby Jet, bone and bronze. Most interesting are a statuette of Minerva carved in an orange gemstone (possibly Citrine) and an ivory ‘penknife’.

There is also a small amount of evidence of a palace built by the Emperor Nero – primarily brick fragments stamped NERCLACAEGER or Nero Claudius Caesar Germanicus – however nothing is confirmed!

Needless to say, the archeological digs are continuing this year from 4^th July to 14^th August, and members are invited to go along and help/have a quick tour any time between 10am and 4pm except Fridays. Please note however that the formal Open Days will take place on 23^rd July and 6^th August. Please speak to the committee if you would like any further details!

Interestingly, the new Hollywood film The Eagle is based on the book Eagle of the Ninth by Rosemary Sutcliffe, which in turn is inspired by an eagle emblem found at Silchester!

The twenty-three members in attendance posed a handful of questions for Mike, and we then showed our appreciation in the usual manner!

Upcoming Events

9^th April – East Grinstead Fair – East Grinstead

9^th-10^th April – B Frank & Son’s 82^nd Numismatic Auction; Newcastle

13^th April – British and Foreign Coins and Banknotes; Warwick & Warwick

20^th April – ClickCollect Coin Fair – Colchester

Past Events

1 Year ago – Frances Simmons – Modern Art Medals

10 Years ago – Phil gave a talk on Coins and Artifacts found in Berks, Bucks and Oxon

40 Years ago – Alan Ashmole visited us and talked about the coinage of the Sultanate of Oman

Club Secretary.