Florin Curta, Monede, castre şi schimburi comerciale în peninsula Balcanică (sec. VI – începutul sec. VII) / Coins, Fortifications, and Commercial Exchanges in the Balkan Peninsula during the Sixth and the Early Seventh Century

The nature of settlements in the 6th century Balkans is a matter of current debate. Amphorae and hoards of iron implements and weapons have been discussed in relation to that controversy. The archaeological evidence, particularly that of amphorae and lead seals, points to the great significance of the quaestura exercitus, an administrative unit created in 536 by means of combining rich provinces overseas (islands in the Aegean Sea, Caria, and Cyprus) with border provinces such as Moesia inferior and Scythia Minor, in order to secure both militarily and financially the efficient defense of the Danube frontier. Conspicuously missing from this discussion of military sites, amphorae, and commerce is the numismatic evidence. To be sure, a great number of 6th century hoards of copper are known from hilltop sites, including those that have also produced hoards of iron implements. So far, however, single coins from hilltop sites have rarely been treated as archaeological finds. Single finds of coins remain a category of archaeological evidence commonly neglected in discussions of the 6th century economy in the Balkans

Ancient history · Archaeology · Balkan peninsula · Frontier · Geography · Human settlement · Peninsula · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Byzantine Studies and History · History