The treasure of Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon (Essonne), a giant deposit from the 3rd century A.D. (Monetary treasures XXIX)

The French Numismatic Society awarded the "Babut" prize 2020" for the publication of the monetary treasury of Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon in the issue XXIX of the journal Trésors monétaires.

This new volume of the series Monetary treasures, published by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), is devoted to the gigantic Roman monetary deposit of Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon (Essonne). The treasure was discovered incidentally in November 2008. During earthworks in a private garden, two workers ripped open a ceramic from which a large quantity of coins flowed.

The two ceramics of the treasure of Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon © Christian Piozzoli, Drac Idf

In accordance with the law, the discovery was immediately reported to the state services. Following this declaration, the Regional Archaeological Service of Île-de-France (SRA) has initiated an archaeological operation on the site. This intervention allowed the discovery of a second vase buried a few centimeters from the first. The second ceramic was taken as a block for micro-excavation in the laboratory. Coins were thus extracted layer after layer, according to a method usually applied to cinerary urns. The coins were then restored by the Department of Coins, Medals and Antiques of the National Library of France before being studied by a group of researchers.

The excavation in the laboratory of one of the ceramics of the treasure of Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon © Bruno Foucray, CNRS – IRAMAT-CEB

The treasure consists of 33,858 Roman coins

This publication is the culmination of a long-term work co-supervised by the Department of Coins, Medals and Antiques of the BnF and the Sra Île-de-France. Never before had a set of such magnitude (more than 100 kg of metal) been fully published in France. The treasure consists of 33,858 Roman coins, mainly small copper alloy coins containing a small proportion of silver called "Antoninians".

The excavation in the laboratory of one of the ceramics of the treasure of Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon © Bruno Foucray, CNRS – IRAMAT-CEB

For the most part, these coins were minted during the so-called "Gallic Empire" period (260-274), which saw usurpers taking power in Gaul at the expense of the emperors of Rome. The most recent coins bear the image of Emperor Probus and date from the year 281. It is therefore shortly after this date that the treasury was buried, in a context of political instability (usurpations, barbarian invasions and other popular revolts) and economic (inflation, monetary reforms). This troubled period in Gaul is particularly prolific in terms of monetary treasures.

Antoninian of Gallian struck in Rome in 265-266 © Vincent Drost, BnF

Antoninian of Tetricus I^er struck in Gaul in 273-274 © Vincent Drost, BnF

Imitation copying an antoninian of Tetricus I^er  © Vincent Drost, BnF

The book insists on the archaeological treatment of the find, because a monetary treasure is first and foremost an archaeological object. The excavation, combined with the numismatic study, made it possible to highlight the specificities of this deposit which is in fact made up of at least two separate sets gathered at the time of burial. The comparison of the treasure of Saint-Germain-lès-Arpajon with other Western deposits of the same type shows that this set results from two hoardings slightly shifted in time. It remains to be seen why this treasure, like so many other massive accumulations of metal, was entrusted to the ground and, above all, why it was never recovered.

Vincent Drost (management)

Book made with the support of the Drac Île-de-France ISBN: 978-2-7177-2842-2 21 x 29,7 cm, paperback, 230 pages, 50 plates, 99€

© Bibliothèque nationale de France.