|
Abstract:
|
The find from Supska, the village near Ćuprija (Horreum Margi) was purchased by the National Museum in Belgrade directly from the finder. It is a part of a larger hoard and contains 115 Roman antoniniani, ranging from Gordian III to Gallienus (joint rule with Valerian I). Terminus post quem for its burial is provided by an antoninianus of Gallienus, from the 3rd issue by the Viminacium mint in 254, associating it with several hoards from the same horizon in the region of the former province of Upper Moesia (Belgrade, Smederevo, Vlajića Brdo I in Smederevska Palanka, Gornje Štiplje near Jagodina, Sikirica II near Paraćin, Parcane and Jablanica near Kruševac and Bujkovac near Vranjska Banja) and Dalmatia (Dvorska near Krupanj), and also with a hoard from an unknown site. The reason for the storage of antoniniani from Supska, and other hoards from this horizon, which were the most densely concentrated along the fertile Morava valley, can be traced to an incursion of the Sarmatian tribe of Iazyges. Although the real cause continues to be in the realm of speculation, some of the possible causes might have been the activities of latrones, a plague epidemic, persecutions of Christians, or all of these causes combined. |