2 April 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

“Secret” Excavations in Luxembourg Reveal 141 Roman Gold Coins from Nine Roman Emperors

Archaeologists uncovered a Roman gold coin hoard of 141 Roman gold coins dating to the second half of the 4th century AD, near Holzthum, located north of Luxembourg.

This impressive discovery was announced on the official website of the National Institute for Archaeological Research (INRA). The coins are gold solidi struck during the reigns of nine emperors who reigned between 364 and 408 A.D.

Eight emperors are depicted on the coins, but three of them featured an unexpected monarch: Eugenius, the Western Roman Empire’s illegitimate emperor who ruled for just two years (392 to 394).

Eugenius briefly ruled as the emperor of the Western Roman Empire from 392 to 394 AD. He came to power with the support of the powerful general Arbogast, who was a Frank. Eugenius is notable for his attempts to restore pagan practices and traditions when Christianity was becoming increasingly dominant in the empire. His reign was marked by political instability and conflict, particularly with the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius I. Ultimately, Eugenius was defeated by Theodosius in the Battle of the Frigidus in 394 AD, leading to his execution and the consolidation of Christian authority in the empire. Coins bearing his image are exceedingly rare.

One of three gold coins featuring Eugenius that was found in a Roman-era hoard in Luxembourg. Credit: C. Nosbusch/INRA
One of three gold coins featuring Eugenius that was found in a Roman-era hoard in Luxembourg. Credit: C. Nosbusch/INRA

Excavating under INRA’s supervision from 2020 to 2024, the discovery was kept under wraps for nearly four years. The Luxembourg Army Mine Action Service (SEDAL) assisted with the dig because of the dangerous conditions the team faced due to the numerous World War II explosives and munitions buried nearby.

“This is a major archaeological discovery, as it is extremely rare to be able to study an entire ancient monetary deposit in its archaeological context,” researchers wrote in a translated statement from the National Institute for Archaeological Research (INRA) in Luxembourg.

The gold solidi are in excellent condition and because they include very rare examples, INRA experts have evaluated the value of the coins at 308,600 euros, approximately $322,000.

In addition to the coin deposit, the excavations uncovered the remains of a late Roman burgus, a small fortified observational tower commonly found on the Empire’s Germanic borders in the fourth century, as well as several graves surrounding it.

National Institute for Archaeological Research (INRA)

Cover Image credit: C. Nosbusch / INRA

Related Articles

Sixth-Century Sword Unearthed in Anglo-Saxon Cemetery near Canterbury, England

28 December 2024

28 December 2024

A spectacular sixth-century sword has been unearthed in an Anglo-Saxon cemetery in southeast England, and archaeologists say it is in...

Scandinavia’s Oldest Identified Ship Burial in Trøndelag “Rewrites History”

14 November 2023

14 November 2023

In Leka, a municipality in Norway’s Trøndelag county, archaeologists have uncovered Scandinavia’s oldest identified ship burial, dating back to around...

Archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of sixth-century coins in ancient Phanagoria in Russia

27 July 2021

27 July 2021

Archaeologists have discovered 80 coins known as Copper staters dating back to the sixth century at Phanagoria on the Black...

The Mysterious Figure of Anatolia: Alexander of Abonoteichus, the False Prophet of Rome

12 February 2025

12 February 2025

In the annals of history, few figures are as intriguing as Alexander of Abonoteichus, the self-proclaimed prophet who captivated the...

Astonishing discovery in Kazakhstan: Bronze Age girl buried with more than 150 animal ankle bones

7 September 2023

7 September 2023

Archaeologists in eastern Kazakhstan have unearthed a Bronze Age burial mound of a girl surrounded by various grave goods in...

New Study Finds, 4,000-Year-Old Toolkit Unearthed Near Stonehenge Was Used to Work Gold

16 December 2022

16 December 2022

Archaeologists from the Universities of Leicester and Southampton in the United Kingdom recently published a study claiming that enigmatic artifacts...

The first ivory work of art recovered from the World Heritage cave Hohle Fels was believed to be a horse – until archaeologists made a new discovery-

30 July 2023

30 July 2023

For more than 20 years, the first ivory work of art recovered from the World Heritage cave Hohle Fels was...

Rare and Unusual Fossil Shows Small Mammal Attacking Larger Dinosaur

20 July 2023

20 July 2023

An unusual fossil from about 125 million years ago that depicts a dramatic event when a carnivorous mammal attacked a...

Archaeologists find sunken ancient Egyptian warship under Abu Qir Bay

26 July 2021

26 July 2021

According to a press release by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, the Egyptian French archaeological mission of the...

Unique and very well-preserved prehistoric engravings found in southwestern Catalonia

23 March 2023

23 March 2023

Significant prehistoric rock art has been discovered in La Febro, in southwestern Catalonia. The team that discovered the art inside...

13th-Century skeletons Unearthed in Annaea Mound

8 May 2021

8 May 2021

At the historical Kadıkalesi archaeological site in Turkey’s western Aydin province’s Kuşadası district, a total of five skeletons thought to...

Hidden 13th-century carving of ‘face of Christ’ discovered in Ballymore, Ireland

12 May 2022

12 May 2022

At Ballymore, in the county of Westmeath, Ireland, sunlight led to an interesting and special discovery. The sunlight revealed that...

A rare reliquary discovered during excavations in Poland

19 October 2023

19 October 2023

Archaeologists have unearthed a rare enkolpion -a medallion with an icon in the center worn around the neck by Eastern...

Incredible Mayan Inventions and Achievements

31 July 2022

31 July 2022

The Mayans excelled at agriculture, pottery, writing, calendars, and arithmetic, leaving an incredible quantity of spectacular architecture and symbolic artwork...

A Roman Sanctuary with Inscriptions Discovered in Cova de les Dones, One of the Largest Rock Art Sites in the Iberian Peninsula

31 January 2025

31 January 2025

A team of researchers from the universities of Alicante (UA) and Zaragoza (Unizar) have discovered a Roman temple at Cova...