Wie benutzten die Germanen zu Tacitus’ Zeiten die römischen Münzen?

Abstract

This is a critical study of that picture of the "Germani", which Tacitus draws in his Germania, specifically in chapter 5, and of his remarks on trade and the estimation of gold and silver by the Germans. Especially the value of the passage on the Germans prefering the old silver coinage, the serrati and bigati, is critically investigated. Comparison with the archaeological evidence and the study of context and tendency of the Germania lead to a surprising conclusion. Tacitus' statements by no means meet the facts. The author, by studying chapters 5-27, directly speaks of an "imaginary ethnography"

Suggested citation

Lund, Allan A: Wie benutzten die Germanen zu Tacitus’ Zeiten die römischen Münzen?. In: Jahrbuch für Numismatik und Geldgeschichte 37/38 (1987/88), pp. 41–51.