288 ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 
pleased them best, and some dozens fell to the share of the 
author. 
The owners at first held their commodity at an high price; but, 
finding that they were not likely to meet with dealers at such a 
rate, they soon lowered their terms, and sold the fairest as they 
could. The coins that were rejected became current, and passed 
for farthings at the petty shops. Of those that we saw, the greater 
part were of Marcus Aurelius, and the Empress Faustina, his wife, 
the father and mother of Commodus. Some of Faustina were in 
high relief, and exhibited a very agreeable set of features, which 
probably resembled that lady, who was more celebrated for her 
beauty than for her virtues. The medallions in general were of a 
paler colour than the coins. To pretend to account for the means 
of their coming to this place would be spending time in conjecture. 
The spot, I think, could not be a Roman camp, because it is 
commanded by hills on two sides; nor does it show the least 
traces of entrenchments ; nor can I suppose that it was a Roman 
town, because I have too good an opinion of the taste and judgment 
of those polished conquerors to imagine that they would settle on 
so barren and dreary a waste. 
