This one received quite a bit of press attention … a metal detectorist has come across a hoard of some 824 gold staters, dating from 40 B.C. to 15 A.D. (and so, of course, popularly connected to “Boudicca’s predecessors”) in a field near Wickham Market. It’s apparently the largest hoard found in the UK since 1849.

Jude Plouviez (Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service) dixit:

“It’s a good, exciting find. It gives us a lot of new information about the late Iron Age, and particularly East Anglia in the late Iron Age.

“The discovery is important because it highlights the probable political, economic and religious importance of an area.

“It certainly suggests there was a significant settlement nearby.  As far as we understand, it was occupied by wealthy tribes or subtribes.

“We haven’t seen anything as big as this, the last find of Iceni coins was about 90 coins. The discovery tells us about the later iron age in Suffolk, there was a lot of wealth around and perhaps the hoard was in a disputed area.”

She added:

“We don’t know how much they will be worth but it will be less than they were at the time,” said Ms Plouviez.

“After the treasure trove inquest, they will be offered to museums at their current value.”

• Huge Iron Age haul of coins found (BBC)

• Iceni coins worth £500,000 found (BBC … video)

• Suffolk gives up its treasure (Evening Star)

• Boadicea’s gold found buried hoard dating back to era of warrior queen (Daily Mail)

• Treasure of gold coins found in Britain (UPI)

• Boudicca’s gold hoard unearthed (Independent)

A bunch of Latin news this a.m., the most interesting/surprising being that Mick Jagger is apparently a fan of the ancient language we hold so dear. According to a brief item in the Telegraph:

Sir Mick was looking around Latymer Upper School recently with Gabriel, his 11-year son by Jerry Hall, when he was shown into a classroom where a Latin lesson was taking place. The singer looked at the words on the board and found to his delight that he could understand them.

• Sir Mick Jagger is revealed to be a Latin lover

Then there was this interesting item from the Beaufort Gazette … here’s the incipit:

Brittle pages fell out as I opened the binder. One of the firmest sheets read, “A Collection of Latin Maxims and Phrases Literally Translated and Explained by John M. Cottrell, Intended for the use of Students for all Legal Examinations. Washington, D.C., John Byrne and Company, Law Book Publishers, 1897.”

An old book, ancient thoughts. But its scattered leaves hid a stern op-ed article for today’s economy. What was needed was a librarian to string it all together (English follows Latin in each sentence):

Quod ab initio non valet, in tractu temporis non convalescit (That which was void from its commencement does not improve by lapse of time). Quod turpi ex causa promissum est, non valet (An immoral consideration will not support a promise). [it continues]

• Ancient Latin verses offers lessons for modern-day woes

Fulfilling the scholastic rule of three, we’ll simply point you to an opinion piece in the Columbia Spectator suggesting the need for a Classical Language requirement:

• A Classical Language Requirement