No. 58.— 1907.] 



ROMAN COINS. 



163 



At the beginning of this Paper is given a map marking all 

 places at which I have been able to obtain any record of Roman 

 coins. It is noticeable that nearly all harbours and mouths of 

 rivers on the west coast are marked, showing undoubtedly the 

 importance of the trade with India. It is curious that Jaffna 

 and Trincomalee should remain unrepresented. Another 

 marked exception is Polonnaruwa, which is thus shown to 

 have been of comparatively modem foundation, or the exten- 

 sive excavations would surely have produced one specimen. 



Further on a list of Roman coins found in Ceylon (so far as 

 I have been able to obtain information) is given. But before 

 proceeding to consider them in detail, it will be interesting to 

 compare our finds with those made in the far greater field of 

 India.' Fortunately this is rendered easy by Mr. Robert 

 Sewell's most interesting Paper, "Roman Coins found in 

 India,"* in which all available information has been tabulated. 

 Mr. Sewell divides the coins into five periods : — 



(a) Time of the Consulate. 



(b) Augustus to 68 a. d. 



(c) 68 a.d. to 217 A.D. 



(d) 217 a.d. to 364 a.d. 



(e) 364 a.d. to the end of the Empire. 



Of period (a), Mr. Sewell notes 15 specimens; of period (b), 

 some thousands, " the product of 55 separate discoveries " ; of 

 period (c) , only a few score ; of period (d) , about a dozen ; of 

 period (e), large numbers, mostly in the south. 



The Ceylon specimens belong to (d) and (e), with only some 

 half dozen exceptions. 



Mr. Sewell goes fully into the reasons for this fluctuation in 

 trade ; and as the same reasoning will in large degree apply to 

 Ceylon, I quote a paragraph explanatory of the revival of 

 trade in the fifth and last period : — 



" The Eastern Empire at Constantinople, first occupied as a 

 seat of Government by Constantine the Great in 330 a.d., and 

 established as the capital of an Empire in 376 a.d., lasted 

 much longer and enjoyed far greater success. Almost in 



* Journal, Royal Asiatic Society, October, 1904. 



