28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Tens of Thousands of Ancient Bronze Coins Dating from the 4th Century Discovered Off Sardinia

A diver spotted something metallic at the bottom of the sea off the town of Arzachena in the Sassari province of northern Sardinia, the second-largest island off the coast of Italy, leading to the discovery of tens of thousands of ancient bronze coins.

The Italian Ministry of Culture said on Saturday that the diver had notified the authorities, who then dispatched divers from the ministry’s underwater archaeology department to form an art protection squad.

The coins were discovered in seagrass not far from the island’s northeastern shore and date to the first half of the fourth century. The exact number of coins recovered has yet to be determined because they are being sorted. According to a first estimate, made based on the overall weight of the discovery, the number of large bronze coins found would be between 30,000 and 50,000 specimens, more than those found in 2013 in the United Kingdom, in Seaton.

In addition to the coins, walls of amphorae of African production and, in smaller numbers, of oriental production were identified in the deposit.

The dives revealed the existence of two macro-areas of dispersion of follis in a large sandy area that opens up between the beach and the seagrass; the latter, given the location and shape of the seabed, there could be remains of ship wreckage nearby. All the coins taken are in an exceptional and rare state of conservation. Only 4 pieces are damaged, although still legible.

The chronological context of the coins can be found in a period between 324 (Licinius coinage) and 340 AD. Dating is confirmed by the presence of the coinage of Constantine the Great and that of all the other members of the family present as caesars but above all by the absence of centenionales, minted starting from 346 AD. The recovered follis group comes from almost all the mints of the empire active in that period except Antioch, Alexandria, and Carthage.

“The treasure found in the waters off Arzachena represents one of the most important coin discoveries, in recent years, said Luigi La Rocca, a Sardinian archaeology department official.

The coins, which date from the first half of the fourth century, are in excellent condition and provide valuable insight into the region’s history. The discovery also emphasizes the importance of safeguarding the Mediterranean Sea’s archaeological heritage.

Related Articles

A 2,000-year-old Roman grave belonging to soldier Flaccus unearthed in Netherlands

9 December 2024

9 December 2024

Archaeologists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old grave from the Roman settlement in Heerlen, Netherlands. The latest analysis has shown that it...

A unique discovery in the ancient city of Aphrodisias, the city famous for its sculptors in the Roman World, “As if he were a breathing God”

30 July 2024

30 July 2024

A marble ‘Zeus head’ was found in the ancient city of Aphrodisias, located within the borders of the Geyre neighborhood...

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province

12 November 2022

12 November 2022

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull was discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province. In the prehistoric era, Anatolia served as a transitional...

An 8,000-year-old number stone found in Yeşilova Mound

27 July 2023

27 July 2023

The 8,000-year-old numeral stone, which is thought to have been used while calculating during the Yeşilova Höyük (Yeşilova Mound) excavation...

3500-year-old grape seed remains found in western Anatolia

12 September 2023

12 September 2023

Archaeologists at the Aşağıseyit Höyük (Aşağıseyit Mound) site in western Anatolia’s Denizli have uncovered a 3,500-year-old grape seed. Aşağıseyi Höyük...

Marmore, the Highest and Oldest Artificial Waterfall in Europe, Created by the Romans

4 March 2024

4 March 2024

Approximately eight kilometers away from the town of Terni in Umbria, Italy, there is a waterfall that is one of...

A cave painting found in Egyptian Sahara depicts a nativity scene 3,000 years before Jesus’ Birth

21 December 2023

21 December 2023

5,000-year-old rock art depicting the oldest nativity scene ever found has been found in Egypt’s Sahara Desert: A newborn between...

7,800-year-old female figurine discovered in Ulucak Höyük in western Turkey

8 August 2022

8 August 2022

A 7,800-year-old female figurine was found in the Ulucak Höyük (Ulucak Mound) in the Kemalpaşa district of Izmir. It was...

490-Million-Year-Old Trilobites Could Solve Ancient Geography Puzzle

22 November 2023

22 November 2023

The humble trilobites may be extinct, but even as fossils, they can teach us much about our planet’s history. Indeed,...

Polish archaeologists discovered new petroglyphs dating back to the 3rd century in Colorado

14 December 2023

14 December 2023

Archaeologists from the Jagiellonian University, southern Poland, have made a significant discovery of ancient indigenous paintings and carvings in the...

Ancient Elegance Revealed: Exquisite Jewelry and Amulets from the 26th Dynasty Discovered at Karnak

4 March 2025

4 March 2025

In a remarkable revelation that sheds light on ancient Egyptian craftsmanship, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, alongside the...

1,500-Year-Old Imperial Stone Inscription Unearthed in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia

18 August 2025

18 August 2025

A newly unearthed stone inscription, tentatively named the “Stele of the Emperor’s Northern Tour,” has been discovered in the vast...

2,000-Year-Old Artifacts Found at Swat’s Butkara Site in Pakistan, Including Coins and Kharosthi Inscriptions

14 February 2025

14 February 2025

Excavations at the Butkara Stupa, located near Mingora in Swat, Pakistan, have uncovered significant findings, including two-thousand-year-old coins, pottery, and...

Pictish ring believed to be more than 1,000-years-old found during Burghead fort dig in Scotland

5 September 2024

5 September 2024

A “remarkable” Pictish ring thought to be more than 1,000 years old has been unearthed by an amateur archaeologist on...

Alone Against Time: The 3,000-Year-Old Last Hittite Monument of Western Anatolia Awaits Rescue

8 July 2025

8 July 2025

Carved into the cliffs of western Anatolia over three thousand years ago, the Karabel Rock Monument is the last surviving...