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RESEARCH PRODUCT

An Imperial ‘Spintria’ Found in Vilches, Jaén (Andalusia, Spain)

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More examples of so-called ‘spintriae’ from the Roman Empire have been found in Hispania than anywhere else. And yet the debate on their purpose remains open. Sadly, the lack of documentation surrounding the Spanish finds makes it impossible to carry out an in-depth archaeological discussion. Most orichalcum tokens in Spain are in private collections and the public collections of museums. Nonetheless the volume of the Spanish assemblage in comparison to the rest of Europe is clear. The concentration of tokens in Hispania suggests a colonial context connected with Baetica’s municipalisation. A starting point for exploring how these items came to be in Hispania might be the movement of Roman soldiers, citizens or colonists during the first years of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.