ROMAN GOLD COINS FOUND IN LUXEMBOURG

An extraordinary treasure of 141 Roman gold coins, or solidi, of the late 4th century CE has been unearthed by archaeologists from Luxembourg. The finding was made at Holzthum village in northern Luxembourg after several years of excavations headed by the National Institute for Archaeological Research (INRA).

Some of the 1,700-year-old gold coins discovered in Luxembourg. Credit: C. Nosbusch/INRA

These solidi were struck between 364 and 408 CE, carrying portraits of nine emperors. The pieces of money found include the rare coins of Emperor Eugenius, who reigned for only two years (392–394 CE).

The coins, valued at approximately €308,600 (about $322,000), were found near the foot of a late Roman fortified tower, burgus, which was used for military observation. Of the emperors that can be made out from the remains found, Eugenius is the most outstanding. He had a very short and stormy government, proclaimed by the powerful general Arbogast as emperor of the Western Roman Empire following the mysterious death of Emperor Valentinian II; Eugenius tried to recover elements of the Roman pagan traditions, and for a time he enjoyed the support of the nobility of the West.

His reign, however, was contested by the Eastern Roman Emperor, the Christian Theodosius I, who refused to allow Eugenius to exercise authority. This inevitably led to the Battle of Frigidus in 394 CE, which saw the defeat and subsequent execution of Eugenius. His coins remain among the rarest relics of his short rule.

One of three gold coins depicting Eugenius discovered in a Roman-era hoard in Luxembourg. Credit: C. Nosbusch/INRA

"This is a major archaeological discovery," announced INRA researchers in a statement, "as it is extremely rare to be able to study an entire ancient monetary deposit in its archaeological context."

To read the complete article, see:
1,700-year-old hoard of Roman gold coins discovered in Luxembourg (https://archaeologymag.com/2025/01/roman-gold-coins-in-luxembourg/)

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