A Hoard of Military Awards, Jewellery and Coins from Colchester. (11th February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Crummy, Nina; Henig, Martin; Ward, Courtney
• Is Part Of: Britannia. Volume 47(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 28
• Publication Date: 2016-02-11
• Subjects: Colchester, -- Boudica, -- hoard, -- precious metals, -- Roman army, -- jewellery, -- coins, -- Campanian towns; Great Britain -- History -- Roman period, 55 B.C.-449 A.D -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Antiquities, Roman -- Periodicals; Romans -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 936.10305
• DOI: 10.1017/S0068113X16000027
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0068-113X

Abstract

Abstract: A hoard of objects found at the early Roman colony at Colchester in a small hole scraped into the floor of a house destroyed during the Boudican revolt includes a group of high-quality gold jewellery, three silver military awards, a bag of coins, an unusual silver-clad wooden box and other items. Buried in haste as the British approached, they provide a remarkably clear image of one couple's background, achievements, taste and social standing. A bulla shows that the man was a Roman citizen, the awards that he was a veteran soldier of some distinction, while parallels for the woman's jewellery suggest that it was acquired in Italy.