The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal ... - IndianCoins.org

108 NUMISMATIC CHRONICLE.extremely difficult series of the Parthian Kings. Thisvolume, published in 1903, is one of his most useful piecesof work, presenting as it does an exhaustive view of all theavailable material. He now deserted Greek numismaticsfor Byzantine. The two stately volumes on the ImperialByzantine Coinage, and the supplementary volume containingthe coins of the Vandals, Ostrogoths, Lombards, and theEmpires of Nicaea and Trebizond, were produced with remarkablespeed, and at once took rank as the standard workson the subjects concerned. At the time of his death he hadreturned to the sphere of Greek numismatics, and was engagedon work preliminary to cataloguing the coins of Philip II andof Macedon.Alexander III and the later kingsAllied with his numismatic work proper was a series ofbiographies of numismatists, medallists, coin-engravers, andother persons, which formed his contribution to fifty-six outof the sixty-two volumes of the Dictionary of National Biography.Shortly before his death he completed the manuscriptof the article on the late Sir John Evans for thesupplement to that publication.But probably though this will interest numismatic readersless than what has been already saidWroth was best knownto the outside world as an authority on the history of London,especially in the eighteenth century. His admirable volumeon London Pleasure Gardens of the Eighteenth Century, inwhich he was assisted by his brother, Mr. A. E. Wroth, andits supplement on Cremorne, showed a combination of scholarshipand accuracy with pleasantness of style that isunhappilyonly too rare in works on London antiquities.He possesseda fine collection of prints relating to London, and his knowledgeof English literature in general, and that of theeighteenth century in particular, was very considerable.He was of a somewhat retiring disposition,and was inconsequence personally little known except to those whocame into contact with him in his official capacity. Outsideofficial hours he preferred, especially of late years, to spendhis time in reading or extending his acquaintance with theold London in which he was so keenly interested, rather thanin taking part in the work and administration of learned