roman coins spain
© El Pais
Construction workers in southern Spain have dug up a little more than they bargained for whilst doing routine work on water pipes.

Over 600 kilograms of ancient Roman coins were discovered inside 19 amphorae (large clay pots) in the town of Tomares, near Seville, dating back to the late third and early forth centuries. Emperors Maximian and Constantine appear on the bronze coins, which show little signs of handling, leading to the belief they made have been used to pay the army or civil servants.

Head of Seville's archaeology museum, Ana Navarro, said the finding is a 'unique collection' with 'very few similar cases around the world'.

As for how much the treasure trove is worth, Navarro's guess is 'certainly several million Euros'.It's believed some of the coins were also dipped in silver as well as bronze.

Construction has ceased at the site which is now being excavated by archaeologists.

The Romans conquered the area in 218 BC, ruling until the early 5th century when they were overtaken by the Visigoths.