Spain’s Ancient Roman Coin Hoard Unveiled: A Glimpse into the Tetrarchy Era

In a dazzling display of history unearthed, Spain’s National Archaeological Museum in Madrid has opened the "Treasure of Tomares" exhibit, showcasing a staggering collection of over 50,000 Ancient Roman coins. Discovered by chance in 2016 during construction work in Tomares, near Seville, this hoard is the largest of its kind ever found in Spain and ranks among the world’s most significant.

The coins, dating from the late third to early fourth century A.D., were found stashed in 19 amphorae in what was once an olive estate in the Roman city of Hispalis. Three of these ancient vessels are now on display: one broken, spilling 2,800 coins; another fragmented but intact; and a third still sealed, preserving its secrets. The exhibit also features bronze coins with silver coatings, bearing the likenesses of nine emperors from the Tetrarchy era, alongside seven rare pieces with unique iconography.

These artifacts offer a vivid glimpse into the economy, society, and politics of a pivotal moment in Roman history, when the empire was emerging from the crisis of the third century. Close-up views reveal coins worn by time yet still whispering tales of their makers, with faintly visible portraits etched into their surfaces. Spain, once Rome’s resource-rich Hispania, was a key player in antiquity, and this find underscores its historical weight.

The free exhibit, open until September 28, invites visitors to step into a world where coins were power, and history was buried just beneath the soil.