The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 50, December 15, 2002, Article 2

OLDEST NUMISMATIC ARTICLE?

  E. Tomlinson Fort, editor of our print journal, The Asylum,
  in response to last week's piece about the a 1588 "Discourse
  Upon Coins" writes:

  "I am afraid that Bernardo Davanzati's work is far from the
  oldest article on numismatics. That distinction belongs to Pliny
  the Elder (Gaius Plinius Secundus) who wrote a history of
  Roman coinage which appeared in his Naturalis Historia
  (The Natural History) which was published in AD 78. The
  work was the Encyclodedia Britannica of the ancient world
  and was widely circulated throughout Europe. Pliny is the
  only European writer to discuss coinage at any real length
  before the thirteenth century. Pliny also had a remarkable
  career, holding equestrian commands in Germany and
  procuratorships in Gaul, he was a personal friend and advisor
  of the emperors Vespasian (AD 69-79) and Titus (AD 79-81)
  and died a hero while saving refugees from the eruption of
  Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.

  I am presently working on an "edition" and commentary of
  Pliny's numismatic discussion  that should (with a little luck)
  appear in the Spring issue of  The Asylum."

  [Thanks, Tom.  We'll look forward to your commentary
  on Pliny the Elder.  -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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