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News Release 09-187
Buried Coins Key to Roman Population Mystery?
University of Connecticut professor explains how coin hoards signal population size
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Researchers applied a unique blend of quantitative modeling and empirical testing normally found in the natural sciences to determine the population size of ancient Rome nearly 2,000 years ago. Just as tree rings help climatologists determine past evironmental conditions, University of Connecticut theoretical biologist Peter Turchin and Stanford University ancient historian Walter Scheidel used coin hoards to determine the size of the Roman Republic's population after 100 B.C.
Coin hoards are bundles of buried Roman coins that citizens hid to protect their savings during times of violence and political strife and the researchers say they are as an excellent indicator of intense internal warfare, which has direct impacts on population size.
Credit: Credit: © 2009 Jupiter Images Corporation
University of Connecticut theoretical biologist Peter Turchin explains how Rome and all historical societies undergo periods of growth and decline.
Credit: University of Connecticut/National Science Foundation
Peter Turchin gives his take on the high count/low count debate concerning the population of ancient Rome. He tells why he's convinced 1st century B.C. Rome had a low count population.
Credit: University of Connecticut/National Science Foundation
Peter Turchin explains how knowing population size helps people understand the economic, political and social viability of ancient Rome's citizens.
Credit: University of Connecticut/National Science Foundation
Peter Turchin makes an analogy between tree rings and coin hoards. Just as tree rings are used to determine past environmental conditions, he argues that clumps of unrecovered coin hoards are an excellent indicator of intense internal warfare, which has direct impacts on population size.
Credit: University of Connecticut/National Science Foundation
Peter Turchin explains the coin hoards research model and it's findings.
Credit: University of Connecticut/National Science Foundation
Peter Turchin argues that quantitive data should be included in the study of history.
Credit: University of Connecticut/National Science Foundation
Peter Turchin discusses how quantitative data helped him uncover principles of history from Russia to Europe.
Credit: University of Connecticut/National Science Foundation