Aquileia, now a small town located 100 Km NE of Venice, on the Friuli
plain, is a very important archeological site because of its significant
role as a center in both Roman and Medieval times. In Roman times it
stood on the border between the Empire and the East. As a result the
town became important as a strategic base for the EXERCITVS ROMANORVM,
the Roman army. Because of its role, Aquileia was also home to a
substantial production of COINS in Gold, Silver and Bronze from the time
of Diocletian (beginning of the IV century) to its fall and destruction
by Attila the Hun (352 AD). Later, during the Middle Ages, Aquileia
became a principal center for the diffusion of the Christian Religion
and See of a powerful PATRIARCHATE that mediated between the Papacy and
the Byzantine Empire. Here again, Aquileia's COINS bear witness to its
economic and political importance.
Today, Aquileia may be a small, quiet
town, but it is a worthy destination for students and lovers of ancient
history.
