Coins at the edge of Empire: Coin use at a Roman frontier fort on the Kops Plateau (Nijmegen), a contextual and colonial perspective
Small Change Tells a Big Story About the Romans and the Batavi
More than 5,300 coins from Nijmegen reveal how the arrival of the Romans changed the daily lives of the Batavi. Archaeologist Paul Beliën’s doctoral research demonstrates that the Roman military camp on the Kops Plateau, built around 13/12 B.C., was part of an extensive network through which soldiers, goods, and money moved.
The Batavi used coins less frequently as a means of everyday payment than Roman soldiers, but through trade and military service, they became increasingly involved in the Roman economy. In doing so, coins not only spread economic influence but also conveyed Roman power and ideas. The local population did not simply adopt this influence: the Batavi adapted Roman customs to their own traditions and identity.
Beliën’s research approach helps archaeologists interpret coin finds more accurately and makes it possible to better reconstruct life along the Roman frontier. This is also important now that the Lower Germanic Limes is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Small coins can thus tell a grand and nuanced story about power, exchange, and cultural influence.
More information about the dissertation.