A Late Roman Solidus Hoard with Hacksilber from Echt (prov. Limburg / NL)

Abstract

Following the discovery of gold coins in an agrarian field at Echt, an excavation was carried out, resulting in the documentation of the complete hoard and its archaeological context. The hoard contained twelve gold solidi, a gold ring, a
silver ingot and ten pieces of Hacksilber. One of the silver plates is a piece of exceptional size and quality. The hoard was placed in a pit, without a visible container, at an off-site location. Comparable hoards are found in a remarkable concentration along the Lower Rhine and adjacent areas in Belgium, the Netherlands and Northwest Germany. The majority of these hoards are dated to the early 5th century and are connected to the period of disintegration of Roman authority in this area, when Germanic federates were paid to guard the Rhine frontier by the usurper and later co-emperor Constantine III (407-411).