Roman emperor who never was minted his own coins

A LONG-LOST Roman emperor, who took control of an isolated outpost when Rome descended into a chaotic civil war, has been discovered.

Gold Sponsian coins, below, were unearthed in Transylvania in 1713, but because there are no records of him, they were thought to be forgeries.

Now, analysis shows they have the same wear-andtear as genuine coins, suggesting they must have been recognised and used as currency.

Experts now believe Sponsian was a Roman general in the imperial Province of Dacia – Transylvania, in modern Romania – which was prized for its gold mines but cut off from the rest of the Roman Empire around 260AD.

Surrounded by enemies, Sponsian may have assumed supreme command to protect the military and civilian population and restore order. The province evacuated between 271 and 275 AD.

He minted coins bearing his image to pay the legions and assert his authority, and inscribed “IMP Sponsiani” meaning “belonging to the Imperator (emperor) Sponsian”.

Paul Pearson, of University College London, said: “His coins are very deeply worn and so appear to have been in circulation for an appreciable period, and yet they are only known from Transylvania. The best time window that explains this is the decade or so between the early 260s and early 270s when the Province of Dacia was cut off from the imperial centre.

“With no pay coming in from Rome because of civil war and instability on the borderlands, economic collapse and mutiny would have been major risks.” Sponsian seems to have taken command during the reign of Gallienus, who ruled Rome between 260 and 268AD. At its peak, the garrison at Dacia stood 50,000 strong, but by the mid-third century it was surrounded by hostile groups such as the Goths, the Carpi and Sarmatians.

At the time, the Roman Empire was split into three chunks and Dacia and the provinces south of the Danube had been devastated by foreign invasions, leaving Sponsian and his soldiers cut off. The experts say that although he styled himself as an emperor, there is no evidence he aspired to conquer more lands, or rule the empire as a whole.