Posted on 01/04/2022 8:41:43 PM PST by SunkenCiv
...the sources of silver used to produce Roman coinage have largely been used up, making it difficult to determine which deposits Roman miners exploited...
The Iberian Peninsula, which includes modern Spain and Portugal, is host to world-class silver deposits, especially in the southern region. These deposits contain galena, which is the main ore of lead and an important source of silver. To extract silver, the galena ore is smelted and purified, with refined silver for coin minting able to reach a purity of over 95%.
To track the source of Roman silver, the team of researchers analyzed the silver and lead compositions of galena samples from ore deposits across the Iberian Peninsula and compared the results to the chemical signatures of silver Roman coins.
They identified two different types of galena deposits based on the silver elemental composition of the samples: silver-rich galena that would have been a likely source for Roman coinage, and silver-poor galena that would have been exploited for lead only and would have been of lower economic importance.
However, few of the ore samples had a composition that fit the silver elemental composition of the Roman silver coins. Silver-bearing ores spanned a wide range in compositional variability, but Roman coins notably have a very narrow elemental composition range.
Based on the lead elemental signatures of the galena samples, the ore deposits from southeastern Spain best fit the composition of Roman coins, suggesting that these deposits were a major source of Roman silver. Both silver-rich and silver-poor galena deposits were likely exploited here, with the extracted lead from silver-poor galena able to be mixed with other ores to extract silver.
These results based on chemical analyses are also consistent with archaeological evidence for ancient mining exploitation in the region.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
Journal Reference:
Jean Milot, Janne Blichert-Toft, Mariano Ayarzagüena Sanz, Chloé Malod-Dognin. Silver isotope and volatile trace element systematics in galena samples from the Iberian Peninsula and the quest for silver sources of Roman coinage. Geology, 2021; DOI: 10.1130/G49690.1
Why This Ancient Civilization Fell Out of Love With Gold for 700 Years
Analysis of 4,500 artifacts suggests an early society between the Black and Caspian Seas turned against bling
Bridget Alex
Contributing Writer
December 17, 2021
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-this-ancient-civilization-fell-out-of-love-with-gold-for-700-years-180979254/
Carthaginians paid tribute in silver and gold to the Romans as a result of losing battles during the Punic Wars. Most of that metal came from Carthaginian silver mines in Spain and gold mines in western coastal Africa, which the Carthaginians colonized with 30,000 people to get the gold mines. The Romans defeated the Carthaginians in Spain and took over their silver mines.
The Barca family used their vendetta against Rome to advance their own interests in Carthaginian politics. As the Spartans told Agesilaus, the Romans didn’t know much about warfare until you started to war with them. :^)
That comment reminded me .... The Romans didn’t have much of a navy until they began fighting the Carthagnians.
In combat using the new model ship, the Romans would close with their Carthaginian adversaries, drop the gangplank, and storm across with heavily armed men to kill the Carthaginians. The Carthaginians had no effective defense against that tactic and suffered decisive losses.
In time, the Romans became expert sailors and shipbuilders who dominated the Mediterranean and the European littoral. Yet Rome's defining strengths in combat were evident in their first navy: practicality, innovation, and, above all, a determination to close with and kill Rome's enemies.
I have some early roman silver there is lots of it around
the ones with BC dates are especially common and cheap direct from China for some reason
It’s all coming back to me including that plank innovation. Thanks
The one thing i ensure before i buy Roman silver is that it is confirmed by NGC to be authentic. I buy only coins that are in NGC slabs. The most expensive coins are early emperor coins which are usually AD age except for Augustus. But Julius Caesar and other famous BC Roman figures have coinage that could be faked. And it would be since they have value in the collecting world.
Exactly so. A Carthaginian vessel blew loose, adrift it wound up on a beach in Roman territory. They took it apart, measured everything, and reproduced many copies of it while no one was paying attention. Then they inflicted a major defeat on the Carthaginian fleet. :^)
I think I was an enslaved silver miner in a past life.
Iberia was pretty nice a few thousand years ago. Oh, and it’s located between Hberia and Jberia.
I think the Chinese knockoffs can usually be distinguished by their Latin slogans praising Chairman Xi.
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