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THE TREASURES OF DECEBALUS

According to the entry in the Oxford excursus on the story of the hidden treasures
Classical Dictionary (Scullard & Hammond of Decebalus in 106: The treasures of
1979, 1088) the reign of Trajan was charac- Decebalus were also discovered, though
terized by an ever-increasing programme of hidden beneath the river Sargetia, which ran
costly public works: at first mainly repairs and past his palace. With the help of some captives
sundry road-building, but after 107 an increase Decebalus had diverted the course of the river,
in new building can be observed: ‘this . . . was made an excavation in its bed, and into the
doubtless financed by the treasure won in the cavity had thrown a large amount of silver and
Second Dacian War (5 million pounds of gold gold and other objects of great value that could
and twice as much silver; the figures are not stand a certain amount of moisture; then he
easily disproved)’. The discovery itself and the had heaped stones over them and piled on
volume of the treasure has, however, been a earth, afterwards bringing the river back into
matter of dispute ever since the 15th and 16th its course. He also had caused the same
centuries, when ancient history developed into captives to deposit his robes and other articles
a modem academic discipline and the sporadic of a like nature in caves, and after
fragments of ancient testimonia relating to the accomplishing this had made away with them
Dacian Wars were first printed. From the to prevent them from disclosing anything. But
Roman history of Dio Cassius (written around Bicilis, a companion of his who knew what had
the turn of the 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D.) been done, was seized and gave information
Byzantine writers, such as Xiphilinus (1lth c.) about these thing^.^
and Zonaras (12th c.) epitomized important In his de Magistratibus John the Lydian
details concerning the discovery of Decebalus’ (Wuensch 1903, 11.228) quotes Crito to the
hidden treasures by the Romans. It is a effect that ‘Trajan was the first who defeated
regrettable fact that the most important the Getae [i.e. the Dacians] and their king
contemporary sources of the Dacian wars are Decebalus, and he found and brought back to
now irretrievably lost: only one sentence of Rome 5 million (five hundred times ten
Trajan’s Dacian Commentaries (Commentarii thousand) pounds weight of gold, and the
de bello Dacico) is preserved,’ and a later double of silver, besides a prodigious quantity
source, John the Lydian (b. 490-d. after 552) of [metal] vessels and cups the number of
quotes only a few lines of the Getica of T. which defies any evaluation, and over 500,000
Statilius Crito, the physician of Trajan who very bellicose prisoners with their arms and
accompanied his emperor to Dacia. We owe armories.’ Without question, the greater part
to Dio Cassius and Xiphilinus the following of the gold and silver must have been found

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 THE TREASURES OF DECEBALUS

in the bed of the Sargetia river or plundered (other) sources relating the treasure of
from treasures hidden underground in the royal Decebalus .
capital, Sarmizegetusa Regia seu Basileon Early modern historians, including early
(some of it already during the first Dacian historians of Hungary,’ did not have an
campaign in 102). Trajan may thus have especially critical attitude with regard to the
received 1650 tons of pure gold and 3300 tons accuracy of these ancient traditions. For the
of pure silver if the weight of a Roman libra most part they cited the lines of Cassius Dio,
is taken to be 327 grs. These are quantities not without a certain surprise. It was J.
beyond belief even if ancient sources record Carcopino (1924,28-34; 1934,73-86; 1961,
booty of almost comparable magnitude. For 106-108) who was the first to make a serious
example, the aurum Tolosanum or the sacred inquiry into the matter. In 1924 he noted that
treasure of the Vo’olcueTectosages captured and Crito had been a good and reliable writer, but
carried off by Qu. S. Caepio in 106 B.C. believed his figures to be frankly impossible.
included 110 thousand pounds of silver and He maintained that a simple palaeographical
five hundred thousand pounds of gold.3 The error had led to their tenfold multiplication.
gold was one tenth of the amount recorded in On his view (1924, 332-33), a confusion in
the Dacian treasure. Alexander the Great found the Greek writing system in the letter used to
in the treasuries of Susa and in Persis gold and denote one thousand and ten thousand led John
silver coins that weighed forty thousand talents the Lydian in the 6th century to think that the
of precious metal, the proportions of gold and majuscule M with which Crito had meant one
silver are not mentioned by P l ~ t a r c h . ~ thousand had been used for ten thousand (as
Other sources in later antiquity record more it was in fact used at the time).
information. The Suda lexicon’ preserves an A few years later R. Syrne (1930, 55-56)
account to the effect that remarkable pieces of noted that ‘. . . the figures of Crito are
the Dacian booty, silver wine-mixing bowls fantastic, and had always been dismissed as
and a gilded rhyton made from an enormously incredible, until Carcopino showed, on
big horn of Bos primigenius were dedicated palaeographical grounds, how they could easily
at the shrine of Zeus Kasios near the Orontes be reduced to something reasonable and
in Syria by Trajan. According to an epigram acceptable. Carcopino may well be right, but
to Hadrian, ‘votives were offered to the king that is not enough. Even if the gold of Dacian
of the gods and men, Zeus Kasios, in his be admitted as a factor, it still remains to prove
sanctuary (near Antioch on the Orontes) by that there actually was a financial problem
Trajan: two fine cloths of artistic finish made awaiting solution in the earlier years of
of linen and embroidered or woven with gold Trajan’s reign and that it was solved in this
thread, and a finely gilded horn of Bos way’. Even if the figures are divided by ten,
primigenius. The tireless warrior [i.e. Trajan] the results are still striking. The reduced total
had chosen these presents from the booty of at least 2700 million sesterces, is con-
which fell into his hands as a result of the siderably greater than the total disbursements
subjugation of the insolent Getae’.6 These made by Augustus in the Res Gestae (Longden
short references no doubt come from a 1936/1975,215-216). Evidence subsequently
longer narrative that is no longer extant, since emerged to show that even if the Dacian
one passage of John the Lydian (II,28) makes treasure may not have been used to solve
the point that Crito, the eyewitness of the financial problems, the huge discovery itself
Second Dacian war definitely confirms the probably caused financial problems so that an

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 JANOS MAKKAY

adjustment of the price of gold was urgently that expected gold grains had already been
needed. In 1932 Heichelheim (1932, 124-131) found very long ago at the very place they
showed that the sudden acquisition of a great should have been found. The second part of
amount of gold combined with the prospect of this paper is devoted to this early discovery.
a steady supply from the Dacian mines (not
to mention panned gold from Transylvanian
alluvial sources) caused a dislocation in the There are three important questions here
ratio of gold to silver. Pap. Bade 37 seems to which await further confirmation: (1) the
indicate that between 107 and 112 the price magnitude of the treasure of 106, (2) the place
of gold in Egypt fell in terms of silver by about of its discovery, and (3) how Decebalus could
4 per cent, so that the prefect Servius Sulpicius possibly have accumulated such a hoard.
Similis had to adjust the rate of exchange Common sense suggests that the first place
between the drachma and the aureus. An which should be taken into consideration is the
increase of gold in the alloy of the denarius likely area of the 106 discovery (i.e. the wider
from 10 to 15 per cent strongly supports a case area of the Sargetia valley), since Cassius Dio
for a substantial fall in the price of gold recorded that captives had deposited robes and
(Longden 1936/1975, 216). Nevertheless, other articles of a similar nature in various
serious objections were raised against Crito’s places such as in caves; we cannot be sure that
figures which, even when divided by ten, are Bicilis was so constant to the Romans and so
disturbingly large and show a suspicious unfaithful to Decebalus that he gave informa-
rotundity (and in the case of the gold are, at tion about all the hidden places and treasures
500,000 pounds, exactly the same as the in the bed of the Sargetia river and in the
weight of the aurum Tolosanum). Although neighbouring caves.
it is certain that Trajan did receive much gold A number of contemporary sources tells the
from Dacia, it has been questioned whether story that in 1543 a huge gold and silver
Decebalus can have amassed so large a hoard, treasure was discovered in the very same valley
to say nothing of the silver. The totals of of the Sargetia in Co. Hunyad, Transylvania
congiaria and of gladiators have also been - at that time in Hungary, but now in
suspected. But although John the Lydian and Romania.8 Unfortunately, the accounts of
Dio are authorities whose mathematics might official investigations led by Cardinal
be questioned, the cumulative effect of their Martinuzzi between 1543 and 155 1 are lost or
evidence on independent points is very great; lie undetected in archives. These no doubt
and their figures have therefore been retained, contained much valuable information, but we
though they must be taken with reserve are reduced to creating a picture of what
(Longden 1936/1975, 216, note 1). The new happened from many scattered testimonia.
building activity and the vast congiurium was Although three or four different lines of
doubtless financed by the treasure won in the historical tradition can be reconstructed on the
Second Dacian War (Sutherland-Hammond basis of the recently available sources, the most
1979, 1088). Heichelheim (1932, 131) closed important and detailed descriptions can be
his paper with a sentence to the effect which found in the works of W. Lazius, J. Troster,
reads that already available non-literary (i.e. M. Miles, and in accounts, both published and
archaeological and numismatical) records from unpublished, of the charges laid by Pope Julian
Antiquity can easily deliver many grains of I11 against the Austrian Emperor, Ferdinand
goldffom unexpected places. It seems to me and the assassins of George Martinuzzi,

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Cardinal of Hungary and Governor of huius reperti erant, cum aliquot oneratis
Transylvania from 1541 till his death in 1551. plaustris in Moldauiam procul aufugerunt. Et
Apart from a brief account from before hactenus de inuentione Dacici thesauri.
15499 Wolfgang Lazius (1504-1565; 1551, Lazius was deeply interested in ancient
1093- 1094) the physician and historian of epigraphy and numismatics, and he derived his
Emperor Ferdinand was the first to give a first information from Viennese tradesmen
description of the discovery in 1543 of a huge who showed him gold coins of king
treasure in the valley of the Sargetia river: Lysimachus from the 1543 treasure, and
Regios uero thesauros, quos Decebalus subter probably also from Stephanus Scher, a member
uada Sargetiae amnis haud procul a regia of the Viennese Senate (formerly a repre-
occultauerat, inuenit. . . . Huius thesauri sentative of the famous Fugger family in
religuum ante annos circiter octo [i.e. in or Transylvania), and Joannes Verber, a priest
before 1543, if Lazius completed his manu- of Buda. The Emperor Ferdinand also gave
script before 15511 in eodemfluuio Sargetia, him some coins from the same treasure for
quem Valachi Istrigij [Hungarian Sztrigy, study and identification. His accuracy in Latin
Rumanian Streiul] appellant, inuentum est hoc of writing about four hundred thousand gold
euentu. Nauigabant ex Marisio [the river coins cannot be doubted. However, it should
Maros/Muresh] per ostium Valachipiscatores be borne in mind that this number cannot be
in Istrigam, & cum forte ad truncum arboris confirmed, and later sources dealing with the
cimbas admouissent, conspicati sub aqua same discovery, at least until recently, refer
aliquid quod ualde spenderet: cum illud efferre to only forty thousand gold coins. Such a
fiissent aggressi, magnam uim aureorum division by ten of the original number given
extulerunt. Qua re alacriores effecti, fundum by Lazius reflects the same feeling and
diligentius rimati, peruenerunl postremo ad intention we have observed in the case of the
aedijlcium quoddam paruum sub undis, instar discovery of 106: these figures too were
loculi: cuius fornicem, quia arbor enata, considered unbelievable or simply impossible.
uetustate decidens, ad ruinam tracto aed$cio Unpublished manuscripts of Lazius in the
aperuerat, omni diligentia perscrutati, State Archives at Munich and Vienna contain
ingentem uim nummorum aureorum (qui some more details of the discovery in 1543.''
magna ex parte Lysimachi Thraciae regis Lazius not only saw coins of Lysimachus but
Graecam inscriptionem ostendebant) milia (ut also some of Koson," and what is more
ex fide dignis audiuimus) plus quam important he records that after Cardinal
quadringenta, & massas insuper auri sectiones Martinuzzi's murder General Castaldo sent the
grauis ponderis. Quibus domum delatis, atque Emperor one thousand gold coins of
inter se diuisis, cum Albam Iuliam ingressi, Lysimachus and a golden dragon from his
aurificibus osten dissent [ostendissent] estate (Martinuzzi was able to confiscate a part
nummos, & valorem sciscitarentur, res palam of the treasure from the finders): mille
facta, Georgium Monuchum [Cardinal George lysimachos ac draconem aureum pondere
Martinuzzi], qui tum pupilli regij nomine quingentorum ducatorum caesari ceu spolium
Transyluaniae praesidebat, exciuit, ut rei Viennam transmissit. According to other
inquisitionem faceret. Fecit ille quidem, & sources it was only the half part or the upper
multa adhuc milia uel inuentoribus ademerat, part - the head - of a golden serpentine
uel de nouo in aedijlcio memorato inuenerat. dragon, had a weight of five hundred ducats
Caeterum certiores antefacti, qui antesignani (i.e. 1,75 kgs) and was originally filled with

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one thousand gold coins of Lysimachus. of art (as for example the two gold statuettes
Therefore it was not of solid gold but a chased and the golden dragon), and probably also
gold work probably with embossed motifs.I2 silver vessels in great number. Inventories and
Later in 1666 Johannes Troster gives a lists of the estate of the deceased are roughly
basically similar account of what happened in identical so far as they concern the composition
1543. The difference is that according to him of the estate and minor matters but greatly
fishermen had only found 40,000 or more gold differ concerning the quantities of the in-
coins of Lysimachus and a great mass of dividual items, especially gold. Martinuzzi’s
unminted gold plates. After an inquiry was treasures were kept at different places,
instituted in GyulafehCrvBrlWeissenburg/Alba certainly in the castles of Alvinc, Smosujvir,
Mia, however, Cardinal Martinuzzi not only Nagyvarad, and probably in those of
confiscated many thousands of coins from the GyulafehCrvBr, Szeben, Szaszsebes and
finders but also investigated the site where he DCva.” Martinuzzi died a violent death at
was able to recover many thousands more such dawn on 17 Dec. 1551 in the castle at Alvinc.
coins from the river bed.I3 A few years later His murderers (mostly Spanish and Italian
still, in 1670, another chronicler of mercenaries led by General Castaldo and
Transylvania, Mhtyas Miles published a third Captain Lopez) as well as his own stewards
version of events. He did not specify the pillaged and carried off everything even before
number of coins found in 1543 (giildinne the Imperial Commission arrived to make an
Miintzen waren unzdhlig vill), but records that inventory. The same happened with the huge
General Castaldo sent the Emperor two gold gold and silver collections in SzamoslijvBr and
statues of Ninus and Semiramis. The most NagyvBrad. Some 875 kg of gold coins (worth
important detail, however, is that a golden 250,000 Hungarian ducats of 3.5 grams each),
snake was found lying on the top of the coins 434 kg of unminted gold, 4000 gold coins of
(Oben war eine giildinne Schlange, gleichsam Lysimachus weighing 56 kg (according to
wie ein Hiitter daraufgesetzt) as if it were Bethlen one Lysimachus weighed 14 grams),
guarding the whole treasure (snakes as 991 kg of silver plates and 232 kg of silver
‘Schatzhuter’ or hordweard).l 4 This snake bars as well as a number of silver vessels were
can surely be identified with the gold dragon kept in Szamosujvfir. These were surely stolen
sent to Vienna by Castaldo. before the Commission came, and including
While later sources of the 18th and 19th smaller items they add up to 1548.5 kg of gold
centuries simply - and some times incorrectly and 1223 kg of silver. Among the gilded silver
- repeat Lazius, Troster and Miles, important vessels in Szamoslijvir were cups, bowls, large
information is preserved in the works of other plates and 24 water jars.16
historians, imperial and papal correspondence, Centorio Ascanio,” a contemporary writer,
as well as in the acts of the process mentioned gives another account of the treasures of the
above. These do not refer to the 1543 discovery Cardinal who in his opinion had possessed an
so much as contain data about the gold and immeasurable treasure - infinito resoro - but
silver treasures found in the estate of Cardinal only a third part of it was left after the depreda-
Martinuzzi after his murder. There is a good tion that occurred immediately after his murder.
case that a part of this estate, mostly gold and This third part comprised 5 18 kg of gold and
silver - kept in different castles belonging to 1430 kg of silver, having a total value of
the Cardinal - belonged to the 1543 treasure: 250,000 or 750,000 scudi or Hungarian ducats.
gold coins and unminted gold plaques, pieces There were 10oO gold coins of Lysimachus,

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numerous parcel gilt silver vessels, including The total weight of gold and silver coins and
six great silver vases, 32 gilded silver cups or other objects belonging to Cardinal Martinuzzi
chalices of Hungarian type, 36 great silver cups and which came from the 1543 discovery
twice as big as the other gilded cups, 12 silver cannot be estimated, but he probably had more
jugs and 12 silver gilt wash-basins with relief than 30,000 Lysimachus coins, some of the
decoration, silver bowls, large and medium- gold and silver sheets mentioned in the sources,
sized silver dishes, silver beakers, jugs and a number of silver vessels, the two statuettes
other vessels in endless numbers (in and the gold dragon. The sources do not
grandissima quantitd, e senza numero). Some mention metal vessels among the valuables
cups or beakers and great plates or dishes were found between 1543 and 1551 in the bed of
also found in the fortress of VBrad. the Sargetia river, but representations of the
Writing in the early 19th century, F.B. von Column of Trajan and the ancient testimonia
Bucholtz who was well acquainted with the (Dio Cassius, John the Lydian, Suda and the
original written sources kept in Vienna, states epigram to Hadrian) clearly show that silver
(1836, vol. VII, 292-293) that the greater part vessels were a consistent part of the hidden
of the estate, namely 1125 kg of silver, 635 kg treasures. The remark of Centorio - frenta
of gold coins including lo00 Lysimachus coins due coppe grandi all 'Vngaresca con diuersi
and 200 large sacks of silver, was kept in omamenti d'argento soura, tutte indorate (32
Szamos~jvBrbut most of it disappeared before great silver gilt cups or chalices of Hungarian
the arrival of the Imperial Commission. style with embossed decorations) - might
A great number of gold and silver coins were indicate that other vessels were stylistically
hoarded in the fortress of VBrad where the different. These could easily have been Dacian
sister of the Cardinal took them away one dark silver vessels which cannot now be dis-
night in a waggon drawn by six horses. tinguished from those mentioned in the 16th
The following chart shows the totals of the century sources. Consequently the number of
most reliable sources (Table 1): coins and the weight of gold sheets and plaques

TABLE I

Source Gold (kg) Silver (kg) Lysimachus Total value

coins in gold
Bethlen 1687 1548.5 1223 4Ooo
Centorio 518 1430 lo00 2501750
1566 thousand
gold ducats
Bucholtz 635.5 1125 t lo00
1836
Castaldo 10.5 1125 lo00
1552
Ferrari 1552 49.0+ 1125 lo00 35-40
thousand
gold ducats
Martinengus 1750 lo00= 100/500
1552 30 thousand thousand
gold ducats

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confiscated by Martinuzzi from the finders and with no actual digging or mining (Makkay
those found by him in situ cannot be 1995a, 65-76). The mines were probably
ascertained. Nevertheless, counting the gold considered the property of the Dacian kings,
coins of Lysimachus taken into Vienna by and gold and silver was stored in the royal
tradesmen before 1551, those sold by the treasury in Sarmizegetusa Regia seu Basileon
parish-clerk of Gradisca, the coins and plaques for a long time.
smuggled into Moldavia on two or more Lysimachus, king of Macedonia (305/286-
waggons pulled by cart horses, the Lysimachus 281 B.C.) consciously constructed his kingdom
coins shown to jewellers of GyulafehCrvar on the model of Persian arrangements so that
between 1543 and 1551, as well as the coins industrial cities in Anatolia were supplied by
bought by Transylvanian noblemen before and regions producing raw materials - very
after 1551, the total number of gold probably including gold and silver - in south-
Lysimachus coins found in 1543 and sub- east Europe (Volkmann 1979, col. 841). Cities
sequently was surely more than forty thousand. on the shore of the NE Mediterranean and of
The place of the discovery in the Sargetia the Black Sea minted gold (and silver) coins
valley, and the additional finds of the 1543 for trade with Barbarian peoples of the
treasure make it quite certain that the latter was northern Balkans and beyond. The very
part of the treasure hidden by Decebalus in existence of gold coins of Lysimachus and of
106. It is an undeniable fact, however, that it Koson in the 1543 treasure (as well as in
is the location of the 1543 treasure which another hoard found in 1803-1804; see
connects it with Decebalus (the coins Makkay 1995b, passim!) from Sarmizegetusa
mentioned in the sources - i.e. of Koson - Regia clearly prove the enduring accumulation
are no later than ca 30 BC), so that one would of gold and silver over the course of four or
assume that it was buried long before the more enturies at the capital of the Dacian kings.
Roman conquest. On the other hand, however, As M. Vickers has recently pointed out in
there are no known sources which would show a series of important articles, the ancients paid
internal or external dangers which would have great attention to matters concerning precious
led to hide an enormously big treasure in the metal, gold and silver - most of which has
vicinity of the Dacian capital around 30 BC in turn been melted down time and again since
or thereafter. antiquity. Silver vessels made to Achaemenid
The almost unbelievable size of Decebalus’ Persian, the closely related Thraco-
treasures requires some discussion as to how Macedonian or more rarely Athenian standard
it was possible for such enormous quantities were ultimately destined for the melting pot,
of precious metals to be accumulated by kings plate could be regarded simply as bullion, and
of Dacia over the years. One answer is the silver coins were probably the ‘small
provided by Nature herself Transylvania change’ (Vickers 1990a, 613-625; 1990b,
possessed a large auriferous area, the Golden 461; 1987, 99-137, and esp. 1992, 53, 57,
Quadrangle, a mountainous district in the 58, 62, with further literature).
centre of the country, which once was one of Details of both discoveries of the hidden
the richest gold mining areas in the whole of treasures of Decebalus perfectly meet his
Eurasia. The deposits were discovered conclusions concerning the ancient system of
probably in the Copper Age, but exploitation treasuring/hording (i.e. silver plates, coins and
was at first limited to surface operations (the sheetdplates of gold and silver) and the five
collection of gold nuggets and gold panning) hundred thousand or five million gold coins

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(d1
Figure I
Representations of (precious) metal vessels on the Column of Trajan; (a) after Moscalu 1989, (b)-(d) from
Bartoli, Bellori and Ciaccone 1672.

can be considered suitable for transactions on not yet been able to answer satisfactorily:
both a large or a small scale. namely, the reasons and purposes for which
The enormous weight of the Decebalus the Dacian kings had continued amassing such
treasures raises a further question which I have enormous wealth during centuries, from the

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 JANOS MAKKAY

time of the Thracian king Lysimachus at least. la; Moscalu 1989, 201-216). These ancient
The natural endowments of the Golden types are not to be seen on the earliest drawings
Quadrangle lent themselves to hoarding. made of the reliefs on Trajan’s Column
Economic conditions did not force Dacian (Bartoli, Bellori and Ciaccone 1672) but one
rulers to invest their gold and silver reserves. of them” clearly shows a one-handled vessel
The human factor did also contribute towards (Figs lb-d) which is a good parallel of the
continuing accumulation as M. Vickers’ jugs from Duvanli, Panagiurishte, or even
reference to Xenophon clearly shows: nobody Rogozen.22We agree therefore with Moscalu
ever ‘had so much plate as not to desire an in his conclusion that the accumulation of the
increase of it; and if people have a treasures of the Dacian kings and aristocrats
superabundance, they hoard it, and we are not began during the campaign of the Persian king
less delighted with doing so than with putting Darius against the Scythians in c. 514-512
it to use.19Staters of Lysimachus were struck B.C. During the wars of Philip I1 and
long after his death in cities of the Northwest Alexander around the middle of the 4th century
Pontic area (Callatis, Tomis, Istros, Byzantion; B.C. the accumulated treasure of the Dacian
Torbdgyi 1991, 42-43), and sooner or later noblemen was hidden as the hoards from
a great part of these gold and also silver(?) Agighiol, Peretu, Craiova, Poroina, Cucuteni-
coins were stockpiled in the royal treasury at Baiceni and elsewhere indicate, while the
Sarmizegetusa. There are new data (Glodariou, accumulated wealth of the Dacian kings was
Iaroslavschi and Russu 1992, 57-68) which safely kept at inaccessible Sarmizegetusa
clearly show that a mint to falsify Roman silver (Moscalu 1989). They were preserved and
coins was working at Sarmizegetusa, and it is grew enormously bigger there until 102 and
legitimate to assume something similar in the 106 B.C. when ‘Trajan was the first who
case of gold coins. All these gold coins, defeated the Getae and their king Decebalus’ .
together with the immeasurable number of He may well have ‘found and brought back
silver vessels might have been destined for the to Rome 5 million pounds weight of gold, and
melting pot; however, the Dacian mines rich the double of silver’. Pure chance brought
in gold and silver produced an annual yield those fishermen or shepherds good luck to find
for yearly use which rendered unnecessary the a part of the royal Dacian treasure in 1543,
realization of the assets represented by the be it forty thousand or four hundred thousand
amassed gold and silver. gold coins. The find from 1543 proves beyond
Very recently the Rumanian archaeologist question that the incredible discovery in 106
E. Moscalu has investigated representations of does not belong to the world of fantasy.
the vessels to be seen on Trajan’s column,20
and has recognized types made from gold Institute of Archaeology
and/or silver which correspond well to Uri utca 49
Athenian vessel types from around 520-490, Budapest
450-425,330-305 and 375-310 B.C. (Fig. Hungary

NOTES

I . Priscianus: Institutio de arte grammatica, 6 , 13: inde Cary and H.B.Foster: Dio’s Roman history, with an
Berzobim, deinde Aizi [Aixim] processimus. English translation. London & Cambridge, Mass. 1968,
2. Xiphilini epitomC tCs Dionos . . ., 234, 10-15; E. lxviii, 14, 4-5.

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3. lusrinus: Epiromae Historiae Philippicae Pompeii thesauri reperti in monumentis mentio fit, quorum mihi
Trogi, XXXII, 3, 6: Fuere aurem argenri pondo decem quorundam per D. Stephanum Scher, Senatorem Vienni,
mil[l]ia, auri pondo quinquies decies centum milia. Cf. et D. Joannem Verber Budensem Sacerdotem copia facta
also Srrabo IV, 1 , 13! est, quorum quasdam subiungam fidei ergo rapsodias.’
4. Plurarch: Viraeparallelae, Alexander, 36-37. See F. Lazius, Wolfgangus: Dekaden der osterreichischer
de Callatay: Des trtsors royaux achtmtnide circulantes? chronicae in latein beschrieben. Manuscript in the
Actes du Colloque sur I’or dans I’empire achtmtnide, Austrian National Library, Osterreichische
Bordeaux, March 1989. Revue des Prudes anciennes 91, Nationalbibliothek, Handschriftensammlung, Cod. 8664,
1989, 259-273. Cod. 7961, fol. 1‘-21”. Cf. Michael Mayr: Wolfsang
5 . Suda Lexikon, ed. Adler, Leipzig, S.V. Kasion oros Lazius als Geschichtschreiber dsrerreichs. Innsbruck,
(perhaps after the Parthica of Arrianos): Eda Tpoiicuvb~ 1894, pp. 56-57: Castaldo, berichtet Lazius, iibersandte
bvZ87KC Kpa7jlpaF &mVpOtF, KCYi KipCYF p&F U(Ypp+&F aus dem gefundenen Schatze des Monches dem Konig
CfKpdiVlCY 7?/S K(Y7k 7kV V i K V F .
K€XpUUO~~VOV, tausend Lysimachen und einen goldenen Drachen im
6. Anihologia Palarina lib. VI, 332, 1-8. After P. Walt Gewichte von fiinfhundert Dukaten nach Wien, den
et al: L’Anthologie palatine, 1-5, Paris, J928-1957: grosseren Theil aber behielt er fiir sich. Nicht nur diese
bivEe67060ia xi7a r o ~ u ~ ~Kai h POSF
~ a olipov
, tiaK77ov Goldstucke habe er selbst gesehen, da sie ihm von
p ~ ~Aii6ios
xpuab rapcphvbwv~r~ZplYq~ ~ C Y L rT Cp Yb r ~ tuub Ferdinand zur Erklarung iibergeben worden waren,
i p o &~ T E L ~ $ Fr&ci 6~CpB^vpous2r 6 r b doupi rim$. sondern bereits mehrere Jahre vorher haben Kaufleute,
7. Before the First World War the theatre of the Dacian welche von Wallachen in Siebenbiirgen kauften, die
wars lay in the territory of the Hungarian Kingdom, in gleichen Miinzen erhalten. Alle seien drei Dukaten
County Hunyad. schwer und tragen die gleiche Inschrift und das gleiche
8. The detailed Hungarian version of this paper with the Bild.Iz]
relevant sources is in press: Makkay 1995b. See also M. Note [2] on p. 57: Fol. 189f Quoniam de thesauro
Thompson et al. An Inventory of Greek Coin Hoards, monachi constabat caesari, mox ab obitu rnille lysimachos
1973, no. 670. ac draconem aureum pondere quingentorum ducatorum
9. The letter of Johannes Honterus (pastor coronensis) caesari ceu spolium Viennam transmisit, cum meliorem
to Sebastian Miinster, Basel: ‘Ad Sargetiam aurei antiqui sibi abegisset partem. Porro non illos solum mille aureos
plurimi a piscatoribus reperti cum inscriptione conspexi, quorum quilibet trium ducatorum habebat
BACIAEQC AYCIMAXOY, ex altera parte ejusdem regis pondus, a caesare ips0 mihi ad interpretandum exhibitos,
effigie.’ (See Makkay 1995b). verum etiam a mercatoribus passim, qui a Walachis in
10. Explicatio thesauri recens apud Transylvanos reperti, Dacia emerant, pluribus antea annis oblatos consqexeram,
el piscatorem quendarn in vado jlvvii cvivsdam detecri. quorum erat omnium eadem inscriptio idemque
Manuscript in the Bavarian State Archives, Munich, cod. symbolum, videlicet facies iuvenis imberbis, diademate
lat. 9216, p. llr: ‘Numi aurei ex Thesauro recens apud cincti in capite, in quo duo cornua hircina eminebant,
Transylvanos opera Piscatoris cuiusdam detecto, quorum et in altera parte icon Palladis sedentis cum inscriptione
mihi copia fieri potuit, duas Graecas habuere graeca: B ~ U L A EAua~paxou,
W~ id est regis Lysimachi.
inscriptiones, quarum altera literis his, BACIAEQC 1 1 . For the person of Koson see Halevy 1961!
AYCIMAXOY, hoc est, regis Lysimachi, altera vero, 12. Bucholtz 1836, vol. VII., 293: eine halbe goldne
CQZON [sic!, correctly KQZON], salvatorem vel Schlange mit Lysimachus-Munzen angefiillt. See also my
liberatorem.’ unpublished paper ‘The Dacian dragon and the Arthurian
P. l l v . ‘Dacijs per scopulos decurrentibus adhuc banner’.
visitur, thesaurum distraxisse diversa in loca, ac vada 13. Troster, Johannes: Das Alt und Neu Teuische Dacia.
rationi consonum est, atque propterea non integrum Das ist: Neue Beschreibung des L a d e s Siebenbiirgen.
thesaurum occuluerat, Caesarum Traianum reperisse. Niirnberg, 1666. I. Buch, Capir. XM: pp. 59-60:
Hunc accedit, quod is ipse thesaurus recens repertus anno Wallachische Fischer funden ein Gewolb, daraus erhuben
post occultationem 1400 per piscatorem detectus fuerit: sie mehr als 40 OOO Goldmuenzen, so das Lysimachi,
et quantum audio parum infra Albam Iuliam, quam darzu ein grosse Menge von ungepraegten Gold-Blechen.
Transylvani appelavit, ubi in loco dictor Varhel vel Georg, der damals in Siebenburgen Gubernator war, noch
Gradisca Sannizegetusa regiae quondam Decebali (quam von etlichen der Schatz-Gesellen, und aus dem Strom vie1
in Ulpiam suam Traianam Caesar Traianus Nerva, tausend solche Lysimachische Miinzen kriegete, davon
nomine mutato, converterat) rudera extant. quantum ex er Keyser Ferdinand0 zweey tausend zugesendet, so alle
inscriptionib[us] apparet, ibi et Sargetiae armis [?I et zween Ducaten schwer waren.

OXFORDJOURNALOF ARCHAEOLOGY

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 JANOS MAKKAY

14. Miles, Msitysis: Siebenburgischer WSlrg-Engel oder Miinzstatte von Sarmizegetusa Regia. Ephemeris
chronicalischer Anhang des I5 Seculi nach Christi Napocensis 2, 57-68.
Geburth aNer rheils in Siebenburgen theils Ungern und H A L ~ V Y , MAYER A. 1961: Autour d’un problbme de
sonst Siebenburgen angrlintzenden M e r n fiirgelauffener numismatique antique. Y a-t-il eu une monnaie d’or dace?
Geschichte. . . . Hermannstadt-Nagyszeben, 1670. A propos du statbre B ICgende KOUOV. Studii Clasice 3,
Reprint edition, Bohlau, Koln, 1984. p. 45. 81-92.
15. The present Rumanian spellings are Vintu de Jos,
HAMMOND, N.G.L. and SCULLARD, H.H. 1970/1979: B e
Gherla, Oradea, Alba Iulia, Sibiu, Sebes, Deva.
Oxford Classical Dictionary (Oxford, Clarendon Press).
16. See Makkay 1995, Forrsisok/Sources. Bethlen 1987,
IV. 174! HEICHELHEIM, Fritz 1932: z u Pap. Bad. 37, ein Beitrag
17. Centono, Ascanio de gli Hortensii: Commenrarii della zur romischen Geldgeschichte unter Tajan. KWO 25,
gverra di Transilvania. Vinegia, MDLXVI. Riproduzione 124- 131.
fotografica di Ladislao GBldi, Budapest, 1940. Libro LAZIUS. WOLFGANGUS 1551: Commentariorvm Reipubl.
seconds, p. 72. Romanae illivs, in exteris prouincijs. bello acquisitis,
18. For more information see Makkay 1995. consirutae, libri duodecim . . . (Basileae, per Ioannem
19. Xenophon, Vect. 4.7. The kind information of M. Oporinum).
Vickers. LONGDEN. ~.~.1936/1975: Nerva and Trajan. In S.A.
20. Made on the copy of the reliefs of the Colonna Trajana Cook, F.E. Adcock and M.P. Charlesworth (ed.), CAH
donated to the Rumanian State by the Italian State in 1867, XI (Cambridge, University Press), 188-222.
now in Bucharest.
21. Bartoli, Bellori and Ciaccone 1672, picture 307, the MAKKAY, J . 1995a: The rise and fall of gold metallurgy
horse in the upper row, left. in the Copper Age of the Carpathian basin: the
22. Fol. and Marazov 1976, unnumbered pictures; background of the change. In G. Morteani - J.P.
Vickers 1992, fig. 6, the large one-handled vessel in the Northover (eds.), Prehistoric gold in Europe. Mines,
left bottom corner. - Some silver vessels found more metallurgy and manufacture (Kluwer Academic
than fifty years ago in the fifthcentury graves at Duvanli, Publishers, Dordrecht - Boston - London), 65-76.
Bulgaria are surely Attic: Vickers 1992, 54. MAKKAY. J . 1995b: Decebsil kincsei [The treasures of
Decebalus, in Hungarian]. Szcizadok 130, in press.
MOSCALU, E. 1989: L’anciennetC du trtsor des GCto-
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