The remains of a Roman fort in northern Luxembourg have yielded a remarkable stash of gold coins discovered in northern Luxembourg is giving archaeologists a closer look at the final years of the Roman Empire. Archaeologists say the hoard includes rare pieces linked to Emperor Eugenius, a controversial ruler who briefly challenged the growing dominance of Christianity in Rome.
Discovered during excavations carried out between 2020 and 2024 in the village of Holzthum, the treasure contains coins minted from 364 to 408 CE. According to Luxembourg’s National Institute for Archaeological Research (INRA), the stash was carefully hidden within the fort’s ruins during a period of deep political and religious upheaval across the empire.
A Rare Glimpse of Emperor Eugenius
Most of the coins feature emperors who are well known to Roman historians. But three of them immediately caught archaeologists’ attention because they show Eugenius, who ruled the Western Roman Empire for only two years, from 392 to 394 CE.
As reported by a translated release published by INRA, coins bearing his image are extremely uncommon. Eugenius came to power with support from the Frankish general Arbogast during a chaotic period inside the empire. At the time, Christianity was becoming dominant across Roman territory. Eugenius tried to restore pagan traditions, putting him in conflict with Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius I.
The struggle ended during the Battle of the Frigidus in 394 CE. Eugenius was defeated and executed shortly afterward, while Christian authority across the empire continued to grow. Because his reign was so short, very few objects linked to him still exist today.
The Find Remained Hidden for Years
Archaeologists actually found the coins several years ago, but the discovery was kept quiet while excavations continued at the site. As stated by the same source, work at Holzthum lasted from 2020 to 2024.
The dig came with an unusual challenge. Luxembourg’s Army Mine Action Service had to assist archaeologists because unexploded World War II explosives and ammunition were buried nearby. Teams had to clear parts of the area before excavation could continue safely.
The coins were hidden inside the remains of a Roman fortification. Researchers also uncovered a small fortified watchtower, similar to others built along Rome’s northern borders during the fourth century.
Several graves were discovered around the site as well, though archaeologists have not yet released many details about them. The material collected during the excavations is still being studied before publication in a scientific journal.
A Discovery Worth More Than Treasure
The 141 coins are gold solidi, one of the main currencies used during the later Roman Empire. The coins are in excellent condition despite their age. Researchers say the real value of the discovery goes far beyond the estimated 308,600 euros, or roughly $322,000.
Rebecca Usherwood, a historian at Trinity College Dublin, said that the amount of gold involved would have represented extraordinary wealth in the Roman world.
“This represents a huge amount of personal wealth for the individual or group who collected these coins,” she told the Daily Express. “Most people in the Roman Empire would rarely, if ever, have seen a single gold coin. To find this many indicates the owner was of considerable social standing, likely a military officer rather than a common soldier.”
The INRA explained that studying a complete ancient coin deposit in its original archaeological context is “extremely rare.” That context may help archaeologists understand why people buried valuables during unstable moments in Roman history and why they were never recovered.
“It will still take some time to process the excavations and finds,” added Eric Thill, Luxembourg’s culture minister, in a separate statement. “But it will undoubtedly increase our knowledge and understanding of the last century of the Roman Empire in the West.”
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