Coin Finds and Monetization in the Roman Northwest is a short monograph that focuses on an overall assessment of coin finds and statistical data. It aims to demonstrate how the production and distribution of coins affected the regional economy of the northwest area of the Roman world between the Late Republican and mid-Imperial period. Hellings’ book is divided into five chapters offering contextualizing sections, assessments of numismatic data, and historical and concluding remarks. Following the List of Figures and List of Tables sections, the Foreword (pp. xiii–xiv; incorrectly listed as a Preface in the table of contents), written by Chris Howgego, gives us an outline of the book. It also highlights the complexity of the available data, the importance of the Flavian period, and the second half of the second century AD.
In the introduction, Benjamin Hellings explains how he switched his book’s focus from the archaeological to the numismatic record, limiting the analysis to the northwest area of the Roman Empire. Moreover, he highlights the importance of the ‘Barbaricum’ as a term of comparison, while also considering the role of fluid boundaries of the empire. The numismatic record and sources are carefully listed and explained in the following pages: the author has mostly opted to use big data sets, which offer more reliable information than isolated and scattered finds. Some further and essential clarifications on the methodological approaches and the distribution of coin finds within the chronological periods are provided at the end of this section (see, in particular, Fig. 1.1 showing the coin-find profile).
The next three chapters are then organized by century. Hellings’ choice is certainly appropriate, because it allows the reader to fully understand the evolution of monetization in the northwest area of the empire following the historical framework of Roman history. Chapter 2, “The First Century”, starts from 50 BC, when Caesar created a turning point in the ‘world of villages’ of Gaul, a region that became part of the portfolio of new Roman assets, economically as well as politically. In fact, the distribution of pre-Roman coins was evidently quite limited, as it clearly occurred in the area of the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg (see also Fig. 2.1). With the beginning of the Julio-Claudian period, everything changed. An essential marker is the appearance of the Augustan aes. Overall, it is evident that the number of coins markedly increased in this period, especially during the reign of Claudius, when the Rhine frontier became crucial for the military operations at the limes. At that time, we see an increasing number of sestertii as the new markers for understanding coin distribution. A big change occurred during the age of Nero and the Flavians, when a substantial amount of silver denarii flowed into the area. Overall, during the first century assessed by Hellings, monetization was limited to well-defined geographical areas of the wider northwest region, as well as related to historical events and the rising of population. Interestingly, the role of gold coins (aurei) could be associated with the economic activities of the highest ranks of the military society operating in the region.
The next section, Chapter 3: “The Short Second Century”, focuses on the period between AD 92 and 192 in which the empire was also hit by a vast pandemic, the so-called ‘Antonine Plague’ (AD 165–80). In the first stages, it is possible to notice a ‘homogenous coin pool’ in the region (p. 62). However, other coins followed different patterns, as testified by a diverse distribution of dupondii, sestertii, and fewer asses, which could even have disappeared at some point. During the reign of the gens Antonina, the coin circulation changed, showing the flow of new silver coins even if some Republican denarii were still hoarded (mostly until AD 138) (see in particular Fig. 3.13). Between the reigns of Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius, we observe some particular fluctuations in coin production and distribution, which could be essentially related to the metal supply in the region. The chapter makes it fully apparent that the period experienced a significant ‘decline in the lowest denomination in circulation’ and, on the other side, a substantial increase in the total amount of money circulating in the area.
Chapter 4: “A New Era in the Third Century”, the last section discussing the three main time spans of the book, pinpoints an epoch of crisis and severe decline in the history of Rome, when the empire was threatened by increasingly frequent Germanic incursions. Hellings perfectly describes the first stages of the Severan denarius, which started to circulate in the area at the end of the second century AD. Interestingly, hoarding trends also play an essential role in understanding how the majority of denarii deposited between AD 222 and 238 could represent a reliable pool of circulating coins at that time. A noteworthy change occurred in AD 240–41, when the denarius was no longer produced and mostly replaced by the new antoninianus. On this point, the northwest represents a perfect case study to better comprehend how the hoards changed according to Gresham’s Law (‘bad money drives out good’). The monetary economy therefore underwent a substantial transformation that can be assessed in several areas, such as the Dutch Lower Rhine. The author also points out that the density of the population living there is a fundamental parameter to consider while studying the numismatic record in those areas. Hellings also duly considers the role of coin imitations widespread in the Gallic Empire, which depends on the area in which they had been circulated and also hoarded.
Following the geographical and chronological analysis of numismatic data, provided in the second, third, and fourth parts, the author offers a concluding section, Chapter 5: “Monetizing the Roman Northwest”. Overall, in his final considerations, Hellings’ approach is mostly historical and links the different aspects of coin circulation, hoarding trends, and monetization to the complex events of Roman imperial history. In general, coin production and distribution in the northwest are explained as an evolutionary phenomenon strictly dependent on economic, social, and military aspects. More generally, Hellings formulates the concept of ‘a state monetary approach’ for coin and metal supplies, which coin, hoard, and circulation data can demonstrate in the area under study.
Last but not least, the bibliography is up-to-date and thorough, including a substantial list of references spanning numismatics, history, and archaeology. Moreover, the supporting material, such as the list of figures and tables and the index, are useful tools for the reader and do not show any major mistakes. The book has numerous figures, especially maps of regional areas in which legends are clearly explained. At the same time, tables and diagrams are detailed, summarizing all numismatic data properly.
Nevertheless, the book has some defects. One could expect to see figures of coins in a book on numismatics and economic history, but none are included. Generally, the final section (Chapter 5) could have included a series of diagrams or tables showing overall, conclusive data regarding all three major centuries discussed in the book to provide a wide and full chronological overview of the monetization processes in the area.
Despite these minor faults, Hellings’ book is an essential and valid attempt to combine, synthetize, and assess a wide range of numismatic data. It is therefore welcome, representing a novel and vital research tool for numismatists, historians, and archaeologists interested in the region.