THE ROMAN COINS 



97 



It is interesting tliat the two latest coins found on 

 this site should be of Emperors whose claim to the throne 

 (in both cases) rested on British support. The independent 

 recognition accorded to Carausius by Diocletian was due to 

 the powerful British fleet which Carausius raised and 

 controlled^; and Magnus Clemens Maximus was proclaimed 

 Emperor of the Western provinces (Gaul, Britain, Spain) 

 by the British legions.- It suggests that these coins were 

 struck in Britain, and in fact Carausius struck coins 

 nowhere else. There is a very interesting silver coin in 

 the British Museum collection which Maximus struck at 

 London — a town which he re-named Augusta — in the year 

 383 A.D. 



B. Identified with some degree of probability. 



Probable Epoch, a.d. 



132-5 (see below). 

 f First century (from general ap- 

 ^ pearance). 

 Portrait possibly of Hadrian. 

 From size, probably of Hadrian or 



Antoninus Pius. 

 First or second century. 

 ' From size, and style of head, fourth 

 century (later than Constantine). 



16 



Bronze. 



C. Quite Uncertain. 



Hopelessly effaced. 



On the provenance of 15 and 16 see above. 



These statements as to the nature and origin of the coins 

 are on the authority of the numismatists of the British 

 Museum, especially Mr. G. F. Hill, whom I have to thank 

 for their very patient kindness in the matter. I append 



1. Gibbon, c. xiii. (vol. ii. p. 9). 



2. Gibbon, c. xxvii. (vol. iii. p. 394). 



