Ancient Romans Visited Katsuren Castle And Left Some Of Their Coins Behind

MessageToEagle.com – Ancient Romans obviously visited the Katsuren Castle in Japan.

Four copper coins issued in ancient Rome have been discovered among the castle’s old ruins in Okinawa Prefecture.

It is an intriguing archaeological discovery as it is the first time ever such artifacts have been recovered from ruins in Japan.
The Katsuren Castle, was built on a large hill of Ryukyuan limestone,[2] 98 meters (322 ft) above sea level on the Katsuren Peninsul and  existed from the 12th century to the 15^th. The castle reached its Golden Age in the mid-15th century, under the powerful Aji of Katsuren, Amawari.

The ancient coins date back to the Roman Empire in the third to fourth centuries.

Okinawa’s trade with China and the Southeast Asian region was thriving at the time and the finding is “precious historical material suggesting a link between Okinawa and the Western world,” the education board of the city of Uruma said.

Each coin measures 1.6 to 2 centimeters in diameter. The designs and patterns on both sides are unclear due to abrasion.

Based on X-ray analysis, however, the education board said the coins appear to bear an image of Constantine I and a soldier holding a spear. Other relics unearthed from the same site include a coin of the 17th century Ottoman Empire, and five round metallic products that appear to be coins.

See also:

Kofun: Megalithic Keyhole-Shaped Tombs That Belonged To High Status People In Japan

Mystery Of The Kusanagi Treasure: The Legendary Sword

Pillars Of Underwater Structure Discovered In Lake Biwako, Japan

First Peoples Of Japan: Ainu Civilization And Its Unknown Origin

More Archaeology News

It is not the first time ancient Roman artifacts have been discovered in Japan. Glass jewelry produced in ancient Rome has been found inside an ancient Japanese tomb.

Three glass beads recovered from a Fifth Century burial site near Kyoto bear signs of Roman craftsmanship

“They are one of the oldest multilayered glass products found in Japan, and very rare accessories that were believed to be made in the Roman Empire and sent to Japan,” researcher Tomomi Tamura said.

These kind of archaeological discoveries clearly suggest that Roman influence reached as far as East Asia.

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