Before crouching down and digging in the woods, a soldier gives the area a quick glance. He covers the dirt pit where he carefully placed his valuables. He memorizes the location by a nearby landmark methodically.

Screengrab from Hungarian Numismatic Society's Facebook

Or perhaps the scene had a slightly different appearance.

Hurrying into the wilderness, a stressed-out trader kneels down. He rapidly buryes his treasures while flinching at every sound. He leaps to his feet, gives the disturbed earth one more look, and then starts to run.

Whatever the case, one thing is for sure. Whoever hid their treasure vanished without a trace.

In November 2021, a volunteer went on a trek in the newly cleared portion of a forest in Livorno, Italy. According to a news release from the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape for the provinces of Pisa and Livorno shared by the Livornese Paleontological Archaeological Group dated April 14, 2023, they observed a shiny gleam among the leaves as they descended the slope.

The hiker noticed they had stumbled over several coins when they took a closer look. Authorities in archaeology from the area were contacted to look into it.

Some of the coins partially-buried in the dirt. Photo from the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Pisa and Livorno

175 antique Roman coins were discovered during the excavation by archaeologists. According to Il Tirreno, an Italian news source, the silver coins are more than 2,000 years old. The tiny, tarnished silver discs are visible in photographs.

According to the outlet, the majority of the coins were discovered in groups alongside pieces of a container. A few coins were discovered strewn about. There were no more artifacts discovered.

The archaeologist who examined the discovery told LiveScience that "the coins have definitely been hidden." They were like a piggy bank or 'treasure'. The simplest way to conceal treasures was to bury them underground far from residences, where no one could locate them.

According to a Facebook post from the Hungarian Numismatic Society, the earliest coins date from around 157 B.C. and the most recent ones are dated 82 B.C.

The newest coins are related to "a very turbulent historical period" for the Roman Empire, according to Alderighi, who spoke to LiveScience. The first significant civil war of the empire was currently raging.

The coins after being excavated. Photo from the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Pisa and Livorno

According to Alderighi, "These coins may have been the savings of a soldier returning home [during] military service."

A wealthy merchant might have concealed the coins instead, according to another historian who spoke with LiveScience.

According to the press announcement, the rich trove was kept secret for 2,000 years. According to Il Terrino, the silver findings will soon be on exhibit at the Province of Livorno's Museum of Natural History of the Mediterranean.

Nearly 200 miles to the northwest of Rome, on the Mediterranean Sea coast, is Livorno.