An analysis of the coins, long thought to be fakes, helped scientists discover a Roman emperor previously unknown.
Scientists analyzed Roman coins found in 1713 in Transylvania. They depicted a man named Sponsian. But since there were no historical records of this man, scientists long believed that the coins were fakes.
Now, however, experts from University College London have discovered that the coins are authentic. They carried out microscopy in visible light, ultraviolet imaging, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in reflection mode. Also the coins were compared with those whose authenticity is not doubted.
As it turned out, the coins really depict the emperor named Sponsian, writes PLOS One.
Presumably, he was the commander of the army in the Roman province of Dacia during the period of military strife in 260 AD.