iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Megan Gooch @agneatha.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

🎺 🪙 Join us in Cambridge or online for this year’s Royal Numismatic Society symposium! Hear talks on coins at the intersection of Late Roman & Early Medieval Europe. Meet other coin folks! @rorynaismith.bsky.social @matthewball.bsky.social #numismatics #coins www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coinage-in...

eventbrite.co.uk

Coinage in the Late Roman Empire & Early Medieval Europe

Join us in Online or in Cambridge for a day of talks on coins at the intersection of the Late Roman Empire & Early Medieval Europe.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Too hot even for Augustus in the BM galleries today. You’d think all that time buried beneath that temple in Sudan would have prepared him for the discomfort of a British summer.

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Anthony Majanlahti @anthonymajanlahti.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

From Rome to Essex. This spectacular C2 #inscription from the #VaticanMuseums tracks the career of Aurelius Bassus. Among his roles is a rarity: he was the imperial census officer sent across the Channel to count the citizens at Camulodunum, now #Colchester. #EpigraphyTuesday #AncientBluesky 🏺

HONORARY INSCRIPTION TO GNAEUS MUNATIUS AURELIUS BASSUS, C2 CE. VATICAN MUSEUMS

A tall marble statue base featuring a beautifully carved Latin inscription highlighted in red fill. The text outlines the military and civil career of Aurelius Bassus, a Nomentum local who became an imperial procurator. Notably, lines six through nine record his appointment as census officer (censitor) for the Roman citizens in the veteran colony at modern Colchester, England. The inscription explicitly uses the words "BRITANNIA" and "CAMALODVNI"—notably spelled with an "A" instead of the later standardised "U", capturing an early imperial variation of the Celtic placename. The clean lettering is framed by a classic molded border. The stone stands as a remarkable physical link between municipal politics in Latium and the administrative integration of the far-flung British frontier during the high empire.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 08/06/2026

Retrieved this from the cabinets for an enquirer the other day and couldn’t resist sharing. An absolutely fabulous three-quarter facing bust of the usurper Postumus on this aureus, struck at his mint of Trier, Germany, c. AD 264.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Hmm. Something isn’t right with this… can’t figure out what, though 🤔 (Coin from the Frome hoard: 53,000 third century coins and counting…)

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Rebecca Griffiths @yorym-flo.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

This Roman denarius of Septimius Severus shows the emperor in military attire on horseback. It proclaims 'the most auspicious return of the emperor' after having established peace in the east by the destruction of Pescennius Niger. #FindsFriday finds.org.uk/database/art...

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Please share! The Royal Numismatic Society is seeking two freelancers to work on its administration and archives. Both positions are part-time for one year, based in London. No archival qualifications or experience necessary. Further details on our website: numismatics.org.uk/2025/06/16/r...

numismatics.org.uk

RNS seeks two freelancers for Administration and Archive projects

The Royal Numismatic Society, which is currently advertising two new freelancer opportunities: Administrator Archive assistant Both are to cover a one-year project to get our records and administr…

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

1,800 years ago, someone snipped the edge of this denarius, discovered it was just a silver-plated forgery, and then vented their rage on the poor coin itself by repeatedly hacking its surface. Recorded with @findsorguk.bsky.social this week: finds.org.uk/database/art... #FindsFriday #RomanBritain

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

*Is* there a nicer flower than a lupin? ☀️

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

One of the very few images of Amminus, an #IronAge ruler from the area of Kent, who might have been the person #Suetonius tells us fled across the Channel to seek aid from #Caligula c. AD 40. This is the first example recorded with @findsorguk.bsky.social #FindsFriday finds.org.uk/database/art...

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 03/05/2025

Carpets of English bluebells on the slopes of the Wrekin in #Shropshire.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 02/05/2025

A heap of radiates struck for Tetricus I (AD 271-274) at Trier, Germany. From the massive Frome hoard of c 54,000 other third century coins, now in the final stages of being sorted at the British Museum. @findsorguk.bsky.social #FindsFriday #RomanBritain

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Sussex Portable Antiquities Scheme Team @sussexflo.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

#FindsFriday today with a lovely counterfeit Roman coin! A copper-alloy cast contemporary copy of a Roman denarius of Diva Faustina I (AD 138-161), struck under Antoninus Pius, dating to the period c. AD 141-161 To see the full record, follow the link: finds.org.uk/database/art...

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Rebecca Griffiths @yorym-flo.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

The Melsonby Hoard is one of the UK's most significant Iron Age finds & could rewrite what we know about the period. Help the Yorkshire Museum acquire & conserve the hoard, keeping it in a public collection. #FindsFriday #SaveTheMelsonbyHoard Donate today: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-the-m...

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Dr Sophie Hay @pompei79.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

One of the most remarkable objects in #Pompeii is a marble table support with P. Casca Longus inscribed on it. Longus was the 1st assassin to stab Julius Caesar on the #IdesOfMarch (today in 44 BC). On his death Longus’ possessions were auctioned & this table was bought by a Pompeian

A white marble table leg in the form of a lion head and descending into a claw as the foot. The view is from above and since there is no table top the inscription of P. Casca Long can be seen engraved into the table top support.

View across an atrium of the so-called House of Casca Longus (he never lived here!). To the left a blue painted wall. In the centre-right an impluvium basin with a circular ceramic cistern head. On the far side the white marble tripod table support.

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Dr Alan Montgomery @classicalalan.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

This is the strongroom in the headquarters building of the Roman fort at Corbridge, just south of Hadrian's Wall. Corbridge was a base for the Second Legion Augusta and the money to pay the troops who garrisoned the Wall would have been stored down in this underground chamber #RomanFortThursday

The ruins of an underground chamber, now roofless, with a paved stone floor.

The ruins of an underground chamber, now roofless, with a paved stone floor and a flight of stone steps running down into it.

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Oscar Lozada @oz-of-the-ancients.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

"Killed by enemies inside the fort" says this tombstone of a father and son, Flavius Fuscinus and Flavius Romanus, who died at Ambleside, Cumbria #RomanFortThursday Excavations show Ambleside was attacked at least once - did these men die in its defence? 📸Armitt Trust #archaeology #photooftheday 🏺

A grey tombstone with a crude Latin inscription, broken into two fragments in the middle, held by metal supports and on a blank black background

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Celia Richardson @celiarichardson.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

National Trust membership for a family costs £14.05 a month. A Telegraph subscription costs £104 a month. And don’t get me started on the quality of the product.

telegraph.co.uk

National Trust raises fees to £3,000 for family life memberships

Charity squeezes an extra 25pc from members over three years

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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 26/02/2025

Exceptional new discovery in #Pompeii: large frescoed banquet hall with stunning wall paintings emerged www.finestresullarte.info/en/archaeolo... 🏺 AncientBluesky #archaeology

A picture taken in the banquet hall, showing columns and wall paintings

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Brittunculus @brittunculus.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

#RomanSiteSaturday: A huge courtyard villa flourished at North Leigh, Oxfordshire, in the early C.4th. It's one of the largest discovered from #RomanBritain with 60 rooms, 11 hypocausts (channelled type), 16 mosaic floors and 3 bath suites. #romanarchaeology

View across the site, taken on a cold clear winter's day. A cross-shaped channel hypocaust is in the foreground, while low stone walls forming the footings of the west wing stretch away to a modern mosaic cover building.

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Pete Savin @petesavin.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

The finds trays are working overtime at the Carlisle Roman Excavations this week. Here the destruction level is being removed to reveal the Hypocaust stacks. The site is open for visits except Sunday till the 1st March #HadriansWall #Archaeology

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Clare Rowan @ancient-tokens.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

a reminder that the Royal Numismatic Society runs a series of small grants for research and/or practice which deploys the outcomes of research in various areas of numismatics. The next deadline is 28th February - find out more and apply here: numismatics.org.uk/grants/

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Dr Alan Montgomery @classicalalan.bsky.social · 18/02/2025

High on a Northumberland hillside near the Roman fort of Bremenium and the ancient road we call Dere Street are the remains of a mausoleum. It is probably the finally resting place of a high-raking Roman soldier and a couple of its stones still feature enigmatic carvings #TombTuesday

The foundations of a circular Roman mausoleum. Its stones are covered in lichen and there is grass growing out of the top.

A relief carving on one of the stones of the mausoleum which resembles the head of a horned animal.

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Bob Marshall @bobmarshall.co.uk · 13/02/2025

One of my oldie reconstructions from 2014 of Rough Castle Roman Fort & Antonine Wall, near Falkirk in #Scotland. It shows the barracks, Principia, Horrea, and the Praetorium. The bath house is in the annexe, in the top-left corner. Commissioned Work. © Bob Marshall / Historic Environment Scotland.

Digital reconstruction illustration of Rough Castle Roman Fort near Falkirk in Scotland. This image shows the barracks, Principia, Horrea, and the Praetorium. The bath house is in the annexe, in the top-left corner of the image. Commissioned Work. © Bob Marshall / Historic Environment Scotland 2014.

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Durotriges Dig @durotrigesdig.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

The mighty Maen Madoc, Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons #Powys A Bronze Age menhir reused as a grave marker and inscribed in the late 5th or early 6th century AD with DERVAC(IVS) FILIVS IVSTI (H)IC IACIT Dervacus, Son of Justus. Lies here 📷 Aug 2020 #StandingStoneSunday 1/2

The standing stone of Maen Madoc in the Bannau Brycheiniog / Brecon Beacons Powys

A Bronze Age menhir reused in the 5th / 6th century AD as a grave marker

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

HOW has it taken me this long to see the wonderful (and free!) exhibition of the Bloomberg finds? assets.bbhub.io/company/site... #romansitesaturday #romanbritain

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Portable Antiquities & Treasure @findsorguk.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

Today saw the launch of the Portable Antiquities Scheme (2023) and Treasure (2022) annual reports at the British Museum, highlighting record levels of finds submitted for voluntary recording to the PAS (over 70,000) and those reported (1,358) in 2023. Available here: finds.org.uk/publications

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

I am glad that everyone has been posting about the #Superbowl: another word to add to my growing mute list of U.S. -specific terms.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

Love this republican denarius struck for Q. Metellus Pius c. 81 BC. Elephant on the reverse and what I want to believe is a diplodocus (and not a ?stork) on the obverse. Found in Cheshire and reported to @susieflo.bsky.social this week. Record: finds.org.uk/database/art... #FindsFriday #RomanBritain

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Kevin Wilbraham @kpw1453.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Scale armour from the Roman Fort at Carlisle (Luguvalium). The armour fragment was found in a building which used as a workshop; now part of the collections at Tullie House Museum in Carlisle. 📸 My own. #RomanFortThursday #RomanBritain #Archaeology

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Sarah May @sarahmay1.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

The university facing 400 redundancies, the museum shutting suddenly because cuts have kept them from maintaining the building. Wales is losing key institutions in its capital city. nation.cymru/news/fears-f...

nation.cymru

Fears for future of National Museum Cardiff after abrupt closure for maintenance

Martin Shipton Concerns have been raised about the future of the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff after an official notice was posted outside saying it was closed indefinitely. The Museum’s managem...

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Flint Dibble @flintdibble.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Please sign and share this student-led petition to save Ancient History here at Cardiff University www.change.org/p/save-cardi...

change.org

Sign the Petition

Save Cardiff University Ancient History Degree

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Dr Susan Greaney @suegreaney.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

This week my employer of 17 years English Heritage announced 200 jobs lost, and my Alma mater Cardiff Uni announced 400 jobs lost. The planning system that protects our heritage and provides thousands of archaeology jobs is at risk, and Higher Education is in free fall more generally #ThisIsFine

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Dr Toby Driver @drtobydriver.bsky.social · 27/01/2025

Amazing story in the Guardian of conquest-era British coins of King Cunobelin, mixed with early Roman issues, deposited by a Roman soldier on returning across the channel to the European mainland www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

theguardian.com

Ancient British coins found in Dutch field likely to be spoils of Roman conquest

Archaeologists hail discovery of very rare hoard featuring 44 gold coins bearing name of Celtic king Cunobelinus

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Colchester Museums @colmuseums.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

It’s a literal layer at that! In AD 61 the native Britons revolted against the Roman occupation of Britain and burnt Colchester to the ground. Evidence has been found across the site of the colonia and earlier fortress, and also at settlements around Balkerne Lane and at Sheepen.

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Glynn JC Davis @camulodunumcurator.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

Final hours of install before press descend on #GladiatorsOfBritain @dorsetmuseum.bsky.social One of the amazing BM objects is this #Roman lamp with a personalised name written into the wet clay - Gaius Maximus. A rare instance of a named #gladiator, or perhaps a fan of this retiarius? #FindsFriday

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Durotriges Dig @durotrigesdig.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

An ammonite fossil, probably carved into a face during the Late Iron Age / Romano British period, with hair ingeniously styled from the shell A #FindsFriday / #FossilFriday crossover 🤩 📷 Feb 2022 Found at Great Bedwyn and a favourite find in the always excellent @wiltshiremuseum.bsky.social

A fossil ammonite carved into a face during the Late Iron Age or Roman period

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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

For #AdoorableThursday a rare find: a piece of a #Roman wooden door found during the excavations at the Bloomberg building. Well-preserved due to the damp soil of the lost Walbrook river under the City of #London. Dating 43-100 AD On display at London Mithraeum 📷me 🏺 Ancientbluesky #archaeology

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

This cracking and scarce denarius of the British rebel emperor, Carausius, found in Hampshire, was reported to us at @findsorguk.bsky.social this week. Struck AD 286-288, it depicts a lion holding a thunderbolt in its mouth, with the letters RSR below. These are... #findsfriday #romanbritain (1/4)

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Dr Alan Montgomery @classicalalan.bsky.social · 24/01/2025

These broken, sooty Samian bowls were found in the so-called 'destruction layer' at Colchester in Essex. Along with lots of other burnt and smashed artefacts found under the Essex city, they are interpreted as tangible evidence of the anti-Roman revolt led by Queen Boudica in AD 60/61 #FindsFriday

A collection of broken and burnt Roman pottery in a museum glass case.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

Fascinating to see an item of personal jewellery with a motif copied verbatim from a common circulating coin: numismatics.org/ocre/id/ric....

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

People who hold FaceTime calls in otherwise quiet train carriages should be killed.

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Dr Toby Driver @drtobydriver.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

#FindsFriday In the late C2nd AD a fire 🔥 ripped through the forum of Wroxeter/Virconium Roman town, Shropshire. From the rubble of market day more than 30 stacks of pristine Samian vessels were recovered 😮 On display in the excellent Shrewsbury Museum 👌 📷 My own. #AncientBlueSky

Several stacks of red Roman pottery dishes and bowls in a display cabinet

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Dr Alan Montgomery @classicalalan.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

For generations, fisherman have been pulling Roman pottery out of the sea off the coast of Kent near Herne Bay. The site has become known as Pudding Pan Rock, as locals used the ancient dishes to cook puddings in. It is thought that they originate from an ancient shipwreck #FindsFriday.

Five Roman terracotta dishes, two of them bearing white encrustations after many centuries spent under water.

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Nina Willburger @drnwillburger.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

The Trier Gold Hoard is the largest #Roman gold hoard ever discovered. It comprises more than 2650 aurei (gold coins) with a total weight of about 18.5 kilogram. The aurei were hidden in 196AD during the revolt of Clodius Albinus against emperor Septimius Severus. 🧵1/2 🏺 AncientBluesky #archaeology

The picture shows the gold coins and fragments of the bronze cauldron they were buried in.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Prague is lovely (bridge, funky clock, etc.), but after a week of various German/Austrian/Slovak/Czech takes on boiled pork, cabbage, and bread, its chief benefit is the excellent Mexican food and cocktails we had for lunch. FLAVOUR. TEXTURE. SPICES.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 25/12/2024

Christmas morning, of all mornings, is the one that makes me happiest that I don’t have children.

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Matthew Ball @matthewball.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

If I really must work late into the night in order to meet a deadline, I *will* be watching BBC4's annual Christmas Fanny Cradock-a-thon while I do it.

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