Key research themes
1. How can advanced imaging and analytical techniques enhance our understanding of Roman coin provenance, minting practices, and circulation?
This theme explores the application of modern technological methods such as computer vision, non-destructive elemental analysis (XRF, SEM-EDS), and laser reflectometry to ancient Roman coins. These techniques reveal insights into coin production, mint attribution, surface composition, and manufacturing processes that traditional numismatic studies could not ascertain alone. The integration of scientific analysis with numismatic scholarship facilitates more precise categorizations of Roman coin origins and circulation trends.
2. What can the iconography and materiality of Roman medallions and coin imitations reveal about their socio-political functions and cultural exchanges?
This theme centers on the interpretative study of Roman bronze medallions, non-circulating large-format coins, and coin imitations including medieval pendants and foreign copies of Roman imperial denarii. These objects, distinguished from regular currency, bear unique iconography and material properties that reflect their use as diplomatic gifts, status symbols, or mediators of imperial imagery across diverse cultures. The study of these items reveals nuances about social identity, political messaging, and cross-cultural interactions informed by numismatic symbolism and production techniques.
3. How do numismatic evidence and coin circulation patterns inform our understanding of social, political, and economic identities in Roman provincial contexts and colonial settlements?
This research area employs numismatic data—including coin hoards, circulation patterns, and localized minting—to elucidate the complex processes of identity formation, ethnic interaction, and economic integration in Roman provinces and colonial settlements. It explores the nuances in local coin production and usage as reflections of tensions or collaborations between indigenous populations and Roman colonizers, and as indicators of political authority, cultural hybridity, and economic dynamics.