MONEDELE DESCOPERITE ÎN CETĂŢUIA GETO-DACĂ DE LA POIANA
Coins found in the Getic-Dacian Citadel of Poiana

Summary/Abstract: The archaeological site at Poiana (Nicoreşti commune, Galaţi county) was signaled out at the end of the 19th century (by Spiru Haret), and it was then explored archaeologically in 1913 (by Vasile Pârvan) and in 1926 (by Gheorghe Ştefan). Between 1927 and 1990, with some interruptions, intense investigations were undertaken there, under the leadership of Professor Radu Vulpe and of his wife, Dr. Ecaterina Dunăreanu-Vulpe, until 1982. Several other collaborators joined them in the course of time (Dr. Anton Niţu, Dr. Silvia Teodor, etc.); after R. Vulpe’s death (1982) the investigation of the archaeological site at Poiana (Nicoreşti commune, Galaţi county) was signaled out at the end of the 19th century (by Spiru Haret), and it was then explored archaeologically in 1913 (by Vasile Pârvan) and in 1926 (by Gheorghe Ştefan). Between 1927 and 1990, with some interruptions, intense investigations were undertaken there, under the leadership of Professor Radu Vulpe and of his wife, Dr. Ecaterina Dunăreanu-Vulpe, until 1982. Several other collaborators joined them in the course of time (Dr. Anton Niţu, Dr. Silvia Teodor, etc.); after R. Vulpe’s death (1982) the investigation of the site was led by Dr. Silvia Teodor, between 1985 and 1990.The site of Poiana is situated east of the Carpathian Mountains, on the lower course of the Siret, an important tributary of the Danube. Three vast habitation layers have been identified, corresponding to the Bronze Age (the cultures of Monteoru IC3 – IC2 and of Costişa, respectively), to the first Iron Age (Hallstatt, Basarabi culture) and, finally, to the second Iron Age (La Tène, Geto-Dacian culture).The richest layer which revealed the most representative vestiges is the one belonging to the Geto-Dacian culture (the middle of the 5th century B. C. – the middle of the 2nd century A. D.). Radu Vulpe identified the Geto-Dacian citadel at Poiana as ancient Piroboridava (Ptolemy). From a numismatic point of view, Poiana is also distinguished by the number and the variety of the coins found there. Radu Vulpe entrusted the studying of the coins of Poiana to the outstanding numismatist Bucur Mitrea, who recorded and studied all the monetary documentation, without publishing it totally. Although some data were used by Bucur Mitrea in his works, the complete catalogue of the coins found at Poiana still remained unpublished. Not long before his death (1995) professor Bucur Mitrea entrusted all his documentation about the coins from Poiana to Virgil Mihailescu-Bîrliba, whose duty was to publish it. Consequently, in the present study the list of the monetary finds from Poiana is presented (with some corrections and additions), accompanied by an incomplete commentary (referring only to the Greek issues). The Catalogue of coins includes five annexes: 1. The Catalogue of single finds from Poiana; 2. The monetary hoards found at Poiana; 3. The paramonetary objects found at Poiana; 4. Uncertain monetary finds from Poiana; 5. Monetary finds from around the Poiana site. The fact is pointed out that in no other Dacian fortress (with the possible exception of Sarmizegetusa) has such a large amount of coins been found: 1,269 coins in all, of which 929 have been studied by the author. Numerous monetary finds (11 single finds and 3 hoards containing 246 Roman republican and imperial denarii) have also been signaled out in the surroundings of the Poiana site. They were also studied by Bucur Mitrea. The Greek and Hellenistic single finds are represented by 15 coins: Histria 5, Callatis 3, Odessos 1, Panticapaion 1,Dyrrhachium 2, Thracian kings 3; a hoard containing bronze coins issued by Callatis (32) is also added to the items mentioned above. The coins from Histria are all of silver, and they could be dated to the 4th c. B. C. Their presence at Poiana is not surprising, because, as Bucur Mitrea remarked long ago, the Histrian silver coin is frequently signaled in the eastern area of the Carpathians (Moldavia). At the same time one could notice that some coins did not have any signs of wear, which proves that they had not circulated and had not been used in the exchange process between the natives and the Greek world. The analysis above supports the idea that, for the entire eastern Dacia, and especially for the area of the Lower Siret, at that time, the citadel at Poiana played an important political, religious, military and cultural role, besides the economic one. As we have already mentioned, coins issued by the Greek cities Callatis and Odessos have also been found at Poiana, although all the issues are of bronze and they appear not to have been used within the exchange process between the Geto-Dacians and the Greek merchants. Another important category of coins is represented by the local production. There have been recorded 27 Geto-Dacian issues, most of them belonging, chronologically, to a late stage (the types Adâncata – Mănăstirea, Inoteşti –Răcoasa and Vârteju – Bucureşti). But, certainly, the most numerous category of coins is repesented by the Roman republican issues, found at Poiana, both isolated (about 110), and in hoards (7). Although most of the Roman imperial coins are early ones, some of them, though doubtful, show a late stage of habitation (Domitianvs, Traianvs, Antoninvs Pivs, Marcvs Avrelivs, Elagabalvs and Tacitvs).The archaeological diggings have also proved the presence of one or more workshops for coin minting: there have been found two dies (one for Roman republican denarii and another one for Geto-Dacian issues), metal discs ready to be coined, as well as local coins and imitations of the Roman republican denarii. Although the numismatic-historical analysis of the monetary finds from Poiana has not been finished, we are convinced that the information published now can be used for a better and a more complete understanding of the role played by this citadel in the eastern part of Dacia.

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