Tezaurul de tetradrahme thasiene descoperit la Boșneagu, jud. Călărași
The hoard of Thasian tetradrachms discovered at Boșneagu, Călărași County

Summary/Abstract: The authors publish 27 Thasian type tetradrachms and one tetradrachm struck by Maroneia, discovered in 1962 near the village of Boșneagu and preserved in collections of the Museum of the Lower Danube. All coins were analyzed using the XRF method and according to the catalog published by Ilia Prokopov, the tetradrachms were arranged based to their dies. It was observed that the coins from groups VIII, IX and X, dated between 168/7 and 148 BC, have a high fineness, ranging between 98.2% and 98.6%. The Thasian tetradrachms minted after 148 BC have less silver, most between 96% and 97%, with some coins dropping to 88.7%. The Thasian tetradrachms from groups XII, XIII and XV, believed to be earlier, have a fineness ranging between 96.5% and 97.9%. In the case of group XVI, the most numerous in the hoard, a large variation in the fineness was observed, ranging between 97.9 and 88.7%. Two tetradrachms (no. 20 and 21), struck with the same obverse die but with different reverse dies, have a silver content of 97.3% and 88.7%. The first is of well-styled, but the second appears to be an imitation. Analyses performed on the specimens from the Boșneagu hoard indicate that the Thasian type tetradrachms from group XVI were struck during the Mithridatic Wars in accordance with the dating proposed by F. de Callataÿ and I. Prokopov. The most recent coins from the hoard are the Thasian tetradrachms from groups XVI and XIX and the tetradrachm from Maroneia struck before 80/79 BC. The analysis of the finds indicates that the Boșneagu hoard was buried in the years 80-70 BC, at the same time as the hoards from Valea Presnei and Coșereni. These three hoards were likely hidden following a local conflict or, perhaps, in the context of the Pontic campaign of 72-71 BC led by M. Terentius Varro Lucullus.

• Details
• Contents