The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

488 SIR ARTHUR EVANS.
are so far as is known from the Eastern mints, it is
well to place this solidus to " a reserve account ".
For reasons given in the succeeding Section there
seem to be good grounds for concluding that even if
there was a break in the London coinage during the
interval of ten years from 373 tp 383, the mint itself
may have continued to perform other functions connected
with the assaying and weighing of silver ingots
destined for the more prolific Continental centres.
The revival of the London mint under its new name
of "Augusta", for actual coinage by Magnus Maximus
seems to have been of a less limited character than
that of Valentinian and his colleagues. That double
siliquae celebrating his Quinquennalia (whether anticipated
or not) were struck by him here is made
probable by the existence of his siliqua from the
North Mendip Hoard with the inscription VOT V
MVLT X. But in addition to this we have the
siliqua from the same hoard with the inscription
VICTORIA AVGC (confined to his British mint) and
his gold solidi with the same inscription.
7. THE BAR AND INGOT CUEEENCY IN THE WESTERN
EMPIRE AT THE CLOSE OF THE FOURTH CENTURY.
It should be borne in mind that the Roman Pro-
vincial mint officials and, perhaps in an exceptional
degree, those of Britain had other functions to perform
besides the actual striking of coins. They had
also important duties connected with the refining and
warranting of precious metals, brought to the mint
in a more or less crude form.
This form of activity indeed had been considerably
extended since Constantine's time, owing to various