Rome ruled the region until the early fifth century when groups such as the Sueves, Vandals, and Visigoths began chipping away at the empire’s power.
During conflicts involving these groups, many refugees hiding in the area may have concealed their coins in the cave.
The most recent coin dates back to A.D. 430, which was after the Sueves invaded and forced the Romans out of Spain in A.D. 409.
“We think it’s a reflection of the social and political instability which came along with the fall of Rome and the arrival of groups of barbarians to northern Spain,” said Alfonso Fanjul Peraza, the director of the dig from the Autonomous University of Madrid.
After the coins were cleaned, they were displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Asturias. The team also suspected that the coins were part of a larger collection.
More artifacts could be found there. So, they planned to return to the cave for further excavations.
In addition, they wanted to investigate whether the cave was just a hiding place or if people were living in the area.
The site is ideal for helping researchers understand more about the Roman Empire’s downfall, the creation of medieval kingdoms in Spain, and how the lives of people in the region were affected by this transition.
