Words and images are indispensable elements of ancient numismatics. In this context, words were not merely an inscription, they designate signs, symbols, images, all stamped in metal. Numismatic studies undertaken recently focused on coin finds of Roman Dacia allow us to multi -faceted insightinto the Dacian provincial coinage. The status changes of the province of Dacia reflect both the introduction and the disappearance of the so called monetary series “PROVINCIA DACIA” in accordance with the transformation of the Roman Imperium in the IIIrd century A.D. The main purpose of this paper is to present one of the questions of this wide problematic, that is bronze coinage with the legend “PROVINCIA DACIA”. PROVINCIA DACIA was a local coinage in the middle and lower Danube area during the 3rd century AD. The reasons for minting were connected with the military actions against the Carpi. Precise dating and concrete iconographic pattern dedicated to specific economic situation in a particular area lead to the conclusion that the monetary series “PROVINCIA DACIA” are in fact a testament of real monetization of Dacia. Coins that originate from the cultural context with well documented place of provenance are the subject of research going far beyond iconographic or inscriptional studies as well as the analysis of punch marks.   

Words and images are indispensable elements of ancient numismatics. In this context, words were not merely an inscription, they designate signs, symbols, images, all stamped in metal. Numismatic studies undertaken recently focused on coin finds of Roman Dacia allow us to multi -faceted insightinto the Dacian provincial coinage. The status changes of the province of Dacia reflect both the introduction and the disappearance of the so called monetary series “PROVINCIA DACIA” in accordance with the transformation of the Roman Imperium in the IIIrd century A.D. The main purpose of this paper is to present one of the questions of this wide problematic, that is bronze coinage with the legend “PROVINCIA DACIA”. PROVINCIA DACIA was a local coinage in the middle and lower Danube area during the 3rd century AD. The reasons for minting were connected with the military actions against the Carpi. Precise dating and concrete iconographic pattern dedicated to specific economic situation in a particular area lead to the conclusion that the monetary series “PROVINCIA DACIA” are in fact a testament of real monetization of Dacia. Coins that originate from the cultural context with well documented place of provenance are the subject of research going far beyond iconographic or inscriptional studies as well as the analysis of punch marks.   

This article is the effect of the realization of the research project no. 2016/B/HS3/02923 financed by the National Science Centre, Poland.