Amateur archeologist unearths Germany's largest trove of Roman coins

An amateur archaeologist in Germany has unearthed the largest collection of Roman coins ever found in the country. Oliver Riedl made the remarkable discovery near Wesseling, south of Cologne, about a year ago. After identifying the significance of the find, Riedl reported it to authorities and enlisted their help. Experts subsequently excavated a total of 934 Roman silver coins, or denarii, which were later displayed at the LVR-LandesMuseum Bonn in what was once West Germany's capital.

According to the regional archaeological authorities, this coin hoard is the largest from the era of Roman Emperor Hadrian ever discovered in Germany. They believe the coins were likely buried during the second quarter of the 2nd century AD. Erich Classen, chief archaeologist of North Rhine-Westphalia, noted that there is no definitive explanation for why the coins remained undiscovered for so long or who buried them. It is possible that the owner died before recovering or disclosing the location of the treasure.

Coin hoards from Roman and other historical periods are not unusual in the region, but few 2nd-century discoveries compare to the extensive collection found in Wesseling. While the exact value of the collection is difficult to determine, a researcher at the state's archaeological office explained that a Roman legionary earned around 300 denarii per year.

To accumulate a treasure like the Wesseling hoard, a legionary would have had to save all of his disposable income for approximately six years, as half of his salary was used to pay for food and equipment.

The Cologne region was under Roman control from around 39 BC to AD 459. The Romans established their presence in the area under General Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa to secure the empire's frontier along the Rhine River. They founded a military outpost that eventually evolved into present-day Cologne.