More than 3,000 coins and 50 gems, featuring the images of ancient Roman deities, have been discovered by archaeologists in Italy. The findings were made during ongoing excavations at Claterna, a Roman town near modern-day Bologna. According to the Italian Ministry of Culture, this is the largest non-stratified archaeological area in Northern Italy. Lucia Borgonzoni, the Italian undersecretary of state to the Ministry of Culture, described the site as a “Pompeii of the north” due to the significance and quantity of the discoveries. Previous excavations at Claterna had already revealed a forum, streets, a dwelling with multicolored mosaics, and Roman baths.
The recent excavations resulted in the unearthing of thousands of coins, primarily made of silver and bronze. Among the coins was one that stood out – a rare silver coin called a quinarius, minted in 97 B.C. by the Roman Republic. It was found hidden in the remains of a corridor in a former theater. This coin not only provided evidence that the structure was built around the end of the first century B.C., but it also suggested that Claterna served as a trading center with direct connections to Rome.
In addition to the coins, archaeologists discovered numerous colored gems engraved with the images of various deities and important structures, including the theater itself. Excavations at the site will continue, with only a fraction of the city explored so far. The Italian Ministry of Culture plans to restore the theater for future use. Francesca Tomba, the superintendent of Bologna, expressed excitement about the remaining unexplored portion of the site.
