Scholarly commentary:
    There were no money issues in the 1st-4th cc. A.D. for Colchis/Lazica, and imitations to denarii of Augustus and aurei were struck in Kartli/Iberia.
    From the beginning of the 1st c. monotony of the Iberian monetary market is obvious. Denarii struck in the name of Augustus in 2 B.C.-4 A.D. at Lugdunum (with the effigy of Gaius and Lucius Caesars on reverse) became dominant, as well as the so-called Gotarzes’ (40/1-51) drachms. 206 samples of Augustan coins are found in Mtskheta-Nastakisi, Zghuderi, Ertso, Magraneti, Kushanaant Gora and Jinvali. Silver coins of other Emperors are represented with only several samples. Roman aurei also appeared on Iberian money market.
    Denarii of Augustus, issued in a large number, were especially popular in the periphery of the Empire, and among the “Barbarians”. Reform of Nero in 64 A.D. contributed to it. Indeed, he debased the coin, which “Barbarians” never accepted. Denarii of Augustus and Tiberius were taken away for them. Scholars suppose that influx of the coins of Augustus for Iberia came from the Roman Syria.
    Denarii of Augustus circulated for a long time on the territory of Iberia. Material from the burials shows the dominant role of the denarii of Augustus in Iberian economy from the beginning of the 1st c. till the midst of the 3rd c.
    Shortage of the coins towards the midst of the 3rd c. determined a genesis of imitations to denarii of Augustus. Imitations to aurei also appeared (ex. Obv. Draped bust of Valerian, laureted, right, a bit crude in style. Distorted Latin inscription: prototype – IMP. C. P. LIC. VALERIANVS AVG. Circle of the dots; Rev. Schematic effigy of Victoria in biga, left. Distorted Latin inscription: VICTORIA AVGG.). Only 15 samples of imitations to denarii of Augustus are kept in Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia.
    The midst of the 1st c. is final stage of issue of Georgian imitations to Alexander and Lysimachus’ type staters. After a gap of two centuries, Iberia renewed emission of different imitations. Chronology of existence of this phenomenon, according to the burials, specific prototypes and other general moments, must be the second half of the 3rd c. in general.
    A severe Imperial crisis of the 3rd c. limited supply of Iberia with Imperial coins. Even if it did not, Iberia would have bartered the Roman money no more. Socio-economic transformation of East Georgia towards Feudalism needed a supply different than money. The country’s stocks of precious metal could be exhausted to support the general idea – the strengthening in number of the upper classes meant a gradual conversion of some yeomanry from farmers to high-level administrators. Food-shortage could happen, and a large-scale food supply was, perhaps, necessary. Industry suffered also as some of the artisans had to earn living doing agricultural jobs. The amount of industrial goods per capita was quickly diminishing, thus creating a demand for small-scale local debased issues with the king as the only potential power to strike these coins.

Mint: Unknown.

Nominal: The weights range ex. from 1,28 gr. to 3,55 gr.

Date: Second half of the 3rd c.

Collection: Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia – 15 samples, GF. (Fund of Treasury, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia.) №5103, GF. №1705, GF. №9446, GF. №2544, GF. №26274, QF. (Main Fund of the Georgian Coins, Numismatic Collection, Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia) №54, QF. №1704, QF. №3372, QF. №3425, QF. №4049, QF. №4050, QF. №4051, QF. №4052, QF. №4053, QF. №4054; Numismatic Fund, History Museum of Armenia, Yerevan – №14362; The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow – 1 sample.

Bibliography:
G. Dundua. Rare Roman Coin Found in Georgia. “Dzeglis Megobari”. №3. Tb. 1967 (in Georg); Rare Imitation to the Roman Denarius Found in Keleti Village. Archaeological Researches in Georgia in 1971. Tb. 1972 (in Georg.); Money Circulation in Iberia in the 1st-4th cc. (General Survey). “Iberia-Kolkheti”. Archaeological Researches of Antique Period of Georgia. Selected Articles. Otar Lordkipanidze 75. Tb. 2005 (in Georg.); Georgian Numismatics. I. Tb. 2006 (T. Dundua as co-author) (in Georg.).

T. Dundua. Colchis, Iberia and the Kingdom of Pontus According to Numismatic Material. Tb. 1993 (in Georg.); Georgia and the West According to Numismatic Material. Vol. I-II. Tb. 1995 (in Georg.); Georgian Ethnocultural Evolution and the West According to Numismatic Material. Tb. 1997 (in Georg.); Money in Georgia (Georg. and Engl. parallel texts) (G. Dundua, N. Javakhishvili and A. Eristavi as co-authors). Tb. 2003 (2nd Edition); Roman Coins in Georgia. Tb. 2006 (in Georg.).

D. Kapanadze. Georgian Numismatics. Tb. 1969 (in Georg.).

К. В. Голенко. Монеты найденные в селении Згудери (Грузинская СССР) в 1964-1965 гг. Вестник Древней Истории (ВДИ). №1. 1968 (D. Kapanadze as co-author); Заметки об обращении римской монеты в Закавказье. Вестник Древней Истории (ВДИ). №4. 1971.

Г. Ф. Дундуа. Монетное дело и монетное обращение в Грузии в античную эпоху (VI в. до н. э.-IV в. н. э.). Dr. Hab. Thesis. Тб. 1982.

Д. Г. Капанадзе. Грузинская нумизматика. М. 1955; О продолжительности обращения денариев Августа и драхмы Готарза в древней Иберии. Советская археология (СА). №4. 1962.

T. Dundua. Georgia within the European Integration as Seen in Coinage. Catalogue of Georgian Coins. Tb. 1999; Influx of the Roman Coins in Georgia. Tb. 2005; Influx of Roman Coins in Georgia. Roman Coins Outside the Empire. Ways and Phases, Contexts and Functions. Proceedings of the ESF/SCH Exploratory Wokshop. Radziwill Palace, Nieborow (Poland). 3-6 September 2005. Moneta 82. Wetteren, Belgium. 2008; Georgia within the European Integration. Part 2. Romans and the Georgians. Tb. 2012; Georgia within the European Integration. Graeco-Roman World, Byzantine Commonwealth, Orthodox Alliance and the Georgians. Tb. 2013.

Imported coins found in Georgia:
    Influx of the Roman and Parthian coins of this period in Iberia is impressive. We take coins which were unearthed on several archaeological sites in Eastern Georgia as an example. Since they are found during archaeological excavations and more or less are concentrated, their scientific value is very high. This material gives us the full picture of money circulation on the territory of Iberia. The sites are as follows: Mtskheta-Aghaiani-Nastakisi, Zguderi (Kareli district), Ertso-Magraneti-Kushanaant Gora (Tianeti district) and Jinvali (Dusheti district). The list of the 1st-4th cc. coins found there is as follows:

I. Mtskheta-Aghaiani-Nastakisi:

a) Roman coins:
1. Denarius of Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.), struck in 2 B.C.-4 A.D. at Lugdunum (?), Gaul – 158 samples.
2. Tiberius (14-37) – aureus struck at Lugdunum – 1 sample, denarii struck at Lugdunum or at some other mint of Gaul – 3 samples, 4 in all.
3. Caligula (37-41) – Caesareian drachm of 37-38 – 1 sample.
4. Nero (54-68) – aureus struck at Rome in 64-68 – 6 samples.
5. Galba (68-69) – aureus struck at Rome – 1 sample.
6. Vitellius (69) – aureus struck at Rome – 1 sample.
7. Vespasian (69-79) – aurei struck in 77-78 at Rome (1) and Lugdunum (1) – 2 samples.
8. Titus (79-81) – aurei struck at Rome in 73, 76, under Vespasian, and in 80 – 4 samples.
9. Domitian (81-96) – aureus struck at Rome in 76, under Vespasian – 1 sample, and denarius of 77/78 – 3 samples, 4 in all.
10. Trajan (98-117) – aurei struck at Rome, one of them is struck in 106 – 2 samples, and denarii of 103-111, 98-117 and 112-117 – 3 samples, Caesareian hemidrachm – 1 sample, 6 in all.
11. Hadrian (117-138) – aurei struck at Rome in 119-122, 125-128, 119-138 and 134-138 – 8 samples, and denarii of 125-128, 134-138, struck at Rome – 3 samples, 11 in all.
12. Antoninus Pius (138-161) – aurei struck at Rome in 149/150, 155/156 – 2 samples, and denarii, struck in 140-144, 155/156 – 2 samples, 4 in all.
13. Faustina Senior, under Pius – aureus of 141, struck at Rome – 2 samples, and denarius, struck after 141 – 1 sample, 3 in all.
14. Faustina Junior, under Pius – aureus struck at Rome – 1 sample, denarius – 2 samples, and denarius struck in 161-177 – 1 sample.
15. M. Aurelius (161-180), under Pius – aurei struck at Rome in 151/152, 156/157 – 2 samples.
16. Commodus (180-192) – aureus struck at Rome (?) – 1 sample.
17. Septimius Severus (193-211) – aureus of 201 struck at Rome – 2 samples, Caesareian drachm – 1 sample, copper coin – 2 samples, 5 in all.
18. Gordian III (238-244) – aureus – 2 samples.
19. Philip Senior (244-249) – aureus – 1 sample.
20. Philip Junior (247-249) – aureus– 1 sample.
21. Trajan Decius (249-251) – aureus – 1 sample.
22. Valerian (253-260) – aureus – 1 sample.
23. Carinus (283-285) – copper coin – 1 sample.
24. Constantine I (306-337) – solidus, struck at Nicomedia – 1 sample.
25. Constantius II (337-361) – solidus, struck at Antioch – 1 sample.
26. Valens (364-378) – siliqua issued at Antioch – 1 sample.

b) Coins of the Parthian kingdom:
1. The so-called Gotarzes’ (40/1-51) drachm – 102 samples.
2. Drachm of Vologases I (51-77/8) – 2 samples.

c) Coins of the Bosporan kingdom:
1. Copper coin of Kotys I (45-62) – 1 sample.

d) Coins of the kingdom of Pontus:
1. Drachms of Polemon II (38-63) – 2 samples.

e) Sassanian coins:
1. Drachm of Shapur I (241-272) – 2 samples.

f) undefined coins:
1. Undefined coins dated back to the end of the 2nd c.-first half of the 3rd c.: silver – 2 samples (one of them is struck at Caesarea), copper – 2 samples, 4 in all.

    It is notable that Georgian (Iberian) imitations to Roman coins are found in Mtskheta-Aghaiani-Nastakisi alongside the foreign coins:
1. 2nd c. imitation to aureus – 1 sample.
2. Imitation to Philip Senior’s aureus – 2 samples.
3. Imitation to Hostilian’s (251) aureus – 1 sample.
4. Imitation to Numerian’s (283-284) aureus – 1 sample.

II. Zguderi:

a) Roman coins:
1. Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.) – denarius struck in 2 B.C.-4 A.D. at Lugdunum (?) – 32 samples.
2. Domitian (81-96), under Vespasian – aureus of 77/78, struck at Rome – 1 sample.
3. Antoninus Pius (138-161) – aureus of 150/151, struck at Rome – 1 sample.
4. Faustina Senior, under Pius – aureus struck at Rome after 141 – 1 sample, and denarius struck at Rome after 141 – 1 sample.
5. M. Aurelius (161-180) and Commodus – aureus of 175/176, struck at Rome – 1 sample.
6. Commodus (180-192) – aureus struck at Rome in 190 – 1 sample.
7. Caracalla and Geta, under Septimius Severus – aureus struck at Rome in 198/199 – 1 sample.
8. Caracalla, under Septimius Severus – aureus struck at Rome in 204 – 1 sample.
9. Elagabalus (218-222) – aureus struck at Rome in 218/219 – 1 sample, aureus struck at Rome in 220-222 – 2 samples, and aureus struck in 218/219 at Oriental mint – 3 samples, 6 in all.
10. Severus Alexander (225-235) – aurei struck at Rome in 226 and 228 – 2 samples.
11. Gordian III (238-244) – aureus of 240, struck at Rome – 1 sample.

b) Coins of the Parthian kingdom:
1. The so-called Gotarzes’ (40/1-51) drachm, Ecbatana mint – 12 samples.

III. Ertso, Magraneti, Kushanaant Gora:

a) Roman coins:
1. Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.) – denarius struck in 2 B.C.-4 A.D. at Lugdunum – 12 samples.
2. Severus Alexander (222-235) – aureus struck at Rome in 225 – 1 sample.
3. Gordian III (238-244) – aureus – 2 samples.
4. Carus (282-283) – aureus struck at Antioch – 1 sample.
5. Diocletian (284-305) – aureus – 1 sample.

b) Coins of the Parthian kingdom:
1. The so-called Gotarzes’(40/1-51) drachm – 14 samples.

Also found here:
1. Georgian imitation to Alexander’s type staters – 1 sample.
2. Imitation to Commodus’ aureus– 1 sample.
3. Imitation to Philip Senior’s aureus – 1 sample.

IV. Jinvali:

a) Roman coins:
1. Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.) – denarius struck in 2 B.C.-4 A.D. in Lugdunum (?) – 4 samples.
2. Julia Domna – aureus struck at Rome in 198-209 – 1 sample.
3. Valerian (253-260) – aureus – 1 sample.

b) Coins of the Parthian kingdom:
1. The so-called Gotarzes’ (40/1-51) drachm – 4 samples.

Also found here:
1. Imitation to Augustus’ aureus – 1 sample.
2. Imitation to Valerian’s aureus – 1 sample.