The coins were minted during the reign of Justinian the Great, a Byzantine ruler known for his efforts to expand the empire and restore former Roman territories in Western Europe and North Africa.
Archaeologists in Bulgaria have made an exciting discovery of gold coins dating back to the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian the Great, who ruled from A.D. 527 to 565. These coins, though originating from an earlier period, were uncovered in a medieval house, raising intriguing questions about how they ended up there and the significance they held for the occupants.
The find took place during an archaeological dig in the village of Debnevo, located in northern Bulgaria. Five gold coins were discovered on the floor of a 10th-century house, suggesting that the residents may have kept them as valuable heirlooms. While finding coins during excavations is not uncommon, their location in a much later dwelling adds a unique dimension to this discovery.
The excavation at Debnevo and the nearby fortress, constructed in the early fifth century, has been ongoing since 2019. Archaeologists have uncovered remnants of a large settlement dating back to the fourth to third century B.C., as well as evidence of continuous habitation during the fourth to sixth centuries A.D., a period when the region was part of the Byzantine Empire.
During a recent dig, researchers explored a medieval home that had been heavily damaged by fire. It appears the occupants abandoned the house after the fire, leaving behind iron tools such as sickles and axes, ceramic vessels, and bronze rings. Among these artifacts, they also found the five gold coins, which are approximately 400 years older than the medieval house itself.
The coins were minted during the reign of Justinian the Great, a Byzantine ruler known for his efforts to expand the empire and restore former Roman territories in Western Europe and North Africa. Justinian is also remembered for compiling Roman laws and fostering the development of Byzantine art and architecture. His ambition to “restore the empire of the Romans” significantly shaped the history of the Byzantine Empire.
All five coins are of the same type, known as a “tremissis”—a small gold coin worth one-third of a solidus. The front of the coins depicts Emperor Justinian wearing a pearl diadem, while the reverse side features Victory, personified, holding a wreath and a cross and globe. The inscription on the front reads “Our Lord Justinian Perpetual Augustus,” referencing the tradition of naming all emperors after Augustus, the first Roman emperor, while the back reads “Victory of the Augusts.” Two of the coins were fused together, likely due to the fire that destroyed the house.
“The dwelling was built on the remains of an early Byzantine structure,” said Stiliyan Ivanov, the lead archaeologist from the National Archaeological Institute with Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. “We believe the coins were unearthed during the construction of the medieval house, and the owners likely kept them due to their gold value.”
Though the village of Debnevo was never a large settlement, it has a rich history. Archaeologists have found evidence of structures, burials, and artifacts spanning from as early as 5000 B.C. to the 18th century.