A 5th-century Anglo-Saxon artisan created a fake Roman gold coin with Latin typos

A gold pendant, dating to the late fifth or early sixth century, was unearthed in January 2023 near Attleborough in Norfolk, England, according to reports by Live Science and SciencePost. The pendant, described as "very unusual," was crafted by an early Anglo-Saxon artisan in imitation of a Roman solidus coin from the reign of Emperor Honorius, who ruled the Western Roman Empire from 393 to 423 CE, as noted by Live Science and Scienze Notizie.

The pendant features on one side the bust of Emperor Honorius wearing a diadem of pearls and chest armor, detailed by SciencePost and Smithsonian Magazine. Honorius, a Christian emperor, was depicted as he appeared on actual Roman solidi of the time, underscoring the Anglo-Saxons' fascination with Roman imagery. The reverse side of the pendant portrays a draped figure holding a military standard and a miniature of Nike, the Roman goddess of victory—a common motif on Roman coins celebrating imperial triumph.

Notably, the inscriptions on the pendant display numerous typographical errors. Live Science and Focus Online explain that the Anglo-Saxons did not have a fully developed writing system at the time, which likely contributed to the "very strange" lettering. The Latin phrase "RESTITVTOR REIPVBLICAE" (Restorer of the Republic) is incorrectly inscribed as "STITVTOR EIPVBLICAE," showcasing these errors.

"We see Roman gold coins being repurposed as pendants, occasionally with very similar suspension loops, but here they've made the whole thing from scratch," Adrian Marsden, a numismatist at the Norfolk County Council's identification and recording service said, according to Smithsonian Magazine. "To model a piece of jewellery on a coin is much more interesting," he added.

Despite being pagans at the time, the Anglo-Saxons showed a keen interest in Roman imagery, including Christian symbols such as the cross on the reverse standard of the pendant. "It's a bit strange; these people were certainly not Christians, and yet they imitated a Christian image," he added.

The pendant was intended as an item of adornment rather than currency, reflecting an attempt at cultural appropriation by the Anglo-Saxons.

A coroner has declared the pendant a "treasure," a protected status given to artifacts of historical significance discovered in the United Kingdom. Under British legislation, artifacts must be made of gold or silver and be at least 300 years old to be declared treasure. Such artifacts cannot be sold to private bidders; instead, cultural institutions are given the opportunity to acquire them for their collections, reported Smithsonian Magazine.

Despite its treasure status, the pendant is expected to be sold for up to £6,000 at auction and will likely be acquired by a museum.

"The pendant demonstrates a desire to plug into this vanished age," Marsden noted.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq