2016-05-06 Fri

A rare Roman gold coin dating between A.D. 64 and 65, depicting an image of Emperor Nero has been discovered by archaeologists at a site called Vindolanda in England which was once a Roman fort near Hadrian's Wall.

Officials at the excavation site have stated that they had unearthed the first coin 20 years ago and never thought that they would find another gold coin any soon.

The coin is called aureus and is so valuable that in those days, it would have equalled more than half a soldier’s yearly salary.

Though many coins have been discovered at the site, this would the first gold coin that was unearthed. Experts believe that the gold coin was 300 years older than the archaeological layer which carried it.

Emperor Nero came into power when he was just 16 years old under the guidance of his mother. He later went on to kill his own mother and at least one of his wives. That’s the reason why he is one of the most controversial emperors of the Roman Era.

It is believed that he started the great fire of Rome and then blamed it on Christians. According to the annals of Roman historian Tacitus, he ruthlessly executed them by setting dogs upon them or by nailing them to crosses.

He also wanted to build a grand golden palace in Rome for which he searched for the lost treasure of Queen Dido of Carthage as well as looted treasures and Roman temples.

He minted more gold coins than his predecessors but they were slimmer than the earlier versions. When the Emperor lost to a rebellion in A.D. 68, he committed suicide before he could be punished.