Matthew Ponting graduated with a BA in Archaeological Studies from the University of Leicester in 1990 and a PhD in Archaeometallurgy from University College London (Institute of Archaeology) in 1994. He then held positions as Scientific Officer in the British Museum, Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Chemistry Fellow at The British School at Athens. Subsequently Matthew was Research Officer in the Department of Archaeology at Nottingham University followed by a stint as an Archaeological Scientist for English Heritage. He joined the School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology at The University of Liverpool as Lecturer in 2004. Matthew has participated in numerous excavation projects in the UK and abroad and conducted several research projects based around the scientific analysis of archaeological metalwork. He has been directing an on-going collaboration studying the production and chemical composition of Roman silver coinage with Kevin Butcher (University of Warwick) since 1994, receiving funding from The Leverhulme Trust, the AHRC and The European Commission. Phone: ++44-151-793-4393 Address: Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology The University of Liverpool 14 Abercromby Square Liverpool L69 7WZ United Kingdom
Chapter 12 addresses the fact that, in c. AD 64, and again in AD 194, the silver content of the d... more Chapter 12 addresses the fact that, in c. AD 64, and again in AD 194, the silver content of the denarius was reduced significantly. This chapter explores some of the metallurgical and hoard evidence, looking at evidence for public reaction to these changes. Both reforms represent something of a watershed in the composition of many hoards. Can public reactions to these changes help to explain some of the measures taken by the state in the decades following the debasements? How do coinage reforms affect patterns of hoard deposition?
One of the great advantages of non-ferrous metals over most other materials, with the exception o... more One of the great advantages of non-ferrous metals over most other materials, with the exception of glass, is the fact that artefacts that are broken or otherwise no longer of use can be melted down and remade into something else. For Roman coinage, this characteristic would have been particularly useful, enabling frequent changes of both emperor and coin type without the need for large amounts of freshly mined metal and incurring the associated costs of smelting. Furthermore, it also means that objects already made of metals of the correct composition can be converted into coin relatively easily. Evidence of both trace elements and lead isotopes is reported, presenting a complex picture of mixing, recycling, refining, and episodic use of stored resources that are occasionally supported by references in historical documents and stylistic features of the coins themselves.
In 2001 funding was obtained from the Leverhulme Trust (Grant No. RF&G/6/2002/0336) and the F... more In 2001 funding was obtained from the Leverhulme Trust (Grant No. RF&G/6/2002/0336) and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Research Committee and the University Research Board of the American University of Beirut, Lebanon to undertake a one year project to apply this methodology to the coinage of the first Imperial dynasty, that of the Julio-Claudians. A more sensitive analytical technique was employed, inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), that enabled much better quality data for important trace elements, such as arsenic, tin and bismuth, to be obtained. These data, together with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), micro-analysis (SEM-EDS), optical microscopy (metallography) and some limited lead isotope analysis by laser ablation multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) form the basis of a series of publications in print (Butcher and Ponting 2005a), in press (Butcher and Ponting 2005b) and in preparation. In 2006 a second stage of the project was awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) over three years (Grant ID: 119434). This project used the same suite of analytical techniques to investigate a much larger number of coins, including an expanded programme of lead isotope analyses (by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry). The first stage of this project resulted in a number of journal publications and contributions to edited volumes (Butcher et al. 2009; Butcher and Ponting 2012; Ponting 2009 and 2012). In 2014 a substantial monograph will be published that brings together and discusses the results from all the above projects covering Roman Imperial silver coinage up until the Reform of Trajan. It is the raw data upon which this monograph is based that are archived here
The Antonine period and the Antonine period in Egypt in particular have become central to current... more The Antonine period and the Antonine period in Egypt in particular have become central to current studies of the Roman economy. There is the debate between Wilson and Scheidel about whether per capita Roman economic growth continued throughout the first two centuries AD or stagnated already from the Augustan period.1 There is also Rathbone’s study of Egyptian prices, the only useable series from anywhere in the Empire, which sees the doubling between AD 160 and 190 as the only significant change between AD 45 and AD 274/5.2 This picture underpins an important paper by Temin on the causes of inflation in the Roman World in general.3
Chapter 12 addresses the fact that, in c. AD 64, and again in AD 194, the silver content of the d... more Chapter 12 addresses the fact that, in c. AD 64, and again in AD 194, the silver content of the denarius was reduced significantly. This chapter explores some of the metallurgical and hoard evidence, looking at evidence for public reaction to these changes. Both reforms represent something of a watershed in the composition of many hoards. Can public reactions to these changes help to explain some of the measures taken by the state in the decades following the debasements? How do coinage reforms affect patterns of hoard deposition?
One of the great advantages of non-ferrous metals over most other materials, with the exception o... more One of the great advantages of non-ferrous metals over most other materials, with the exception of glass, is the fact that artefacts that are broken or otherwise no longer of use can be melted down and remade into something else. For Roman coinage, this characteristic would have been particularly useful, enabling frequent changes of both emperor and coin type without the need for large amounts of freshly mined metal and incurring the associated costs of smelting. Furthermore, it also means that objects already made of metals of the correct composition can be converted into coin relatively easily. Evidence of both trace elements and lead isotopes is reported, presenting a complex picture of mixing, recycling, refining, and episodic use of stored resources that are occasionally supported by references in historical documents and stylistic features of the coins themselves.
In 2001 funding was obtained from the Leverhulme Trust (Grant No. RF&G/6/2002/0336) and the F... more In 2001 funding was obtained from the Leverhulme Trust (Grant No. RF&G/6/2002/0336) and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences Research Committee and the University Research Board of the American University of Beirut, Lebanon to undertake a one year project to apply this methodology to the coinage of the first Imperial dynasty, that of the Julio-Claudians. A more sensitive analytical technique was employed, inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), that enabled much better quality data for important trace elements, such as arsenic, tin and bismuth, to be obtained. These data, together with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), micro-analysis (SEM-EDS), optical microscopy (metallography) and some limited lead isotope analysis by laser ablation multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-MC-ICP-MS) form the basis of a series of publications in print (Butcher and Ponting 2005a), in press (Butcher and Ponting 2005b) and in preparation. In 2006 a second stage of the project was awarded funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) over three years (Grant ID: 119434). This project used the same suite of analytical techniques to investigate a much larger number of coins, including an expanded programme of lead isotope analyses (by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry). The first stage of this project resulted in a number of journal publications and contributions to edited volumes (Butcher et al. 2009; Butcher and Ponting 2012; Ponting 2009 and 2012). In 2014 a substantial monograph will be published that brings together and discusses the results from all the above projects covering Roman Imperial silver coinage up until the Reform of Trajan. It is the raw data upon which this monograph is based that are archived here
The Antonine period and the Antonine period in Egypt in particular have become central to current... more The Antonine period and the Antonine period in Egypt in particular have become central to current studies of the Roman economy. There is the debate between Wilson and Scheidel about whether per capita Roman economic growth continued throughout the first two centuries AD or stagnated already from the Augustan period.1 There is also Rathbone’s study of Egyptian prices, the only useable series from anywhere in the Empire, which sees the doubling between AD 160 and 190 as the only significant change between AD 45 and AD 274/5.2 This picture underpins an important paper by Temin on the causes of inflation in the Roman World in general.3
Insights into Roman Hoards of North West England, 2016
This volume focuses on three Romano-British hoards from North West England: the Malpas 1st centur... more This volume focuses on three Romano-British hoards from North West England: the Malpas 1st century AD coin hoard, the Knutsford 2nd century AD coin and jewellery hoard, and the Brindle hoard of nummi. With papers from leading experts, this book considers the ways in which these finds can be interpreted to enhance our understanding of the Roman period in this region.
This book presents chemical and metallurgical analyses of 144 coins of Severus and family plus th... more This book presents chemical and metallurgical analyses of 144 coins of Severus and family plus the detailed examination of a hoard of material related to irregular denarius production.
The fineness of Roman imperial and provincial silver coinage has been regarded as an indicator of... more The fineness of Roman imperial and provincial silver coinage has been regarded as an indicator of the broader fiscal health of the Roman empire. This book explores the composition of Roman silver coinage of the first century AD, re-examining traditional interpretations in the light of an entirely new programme of analyses.
Announcement and registration details for the 2017 HMS research in progress meeting to be held in... more Announcement and registration details for the 2017 HMS research in progress meeting to be held in Liverpool University.
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