This is my second Visigothic acquisition. It looks really insignificant at first glance but it is a rare piece from this post-Roman kingdom, situated in Hispania (Spain). It has a bust that is facing either left or right (I suspect left), and carries a monogram on the reverse: Visigothic Kingdom Obv: CIV-ITA, bust left or right Rev: Monogram, Emerita mint (poss. mid-7th century AD like Group B) Crusafont Group C 8 mm wide A somewhat better example, from FORVM:
Thanks Ardatirion. That was my actually my first guess, since earlier the Ostrogoths did the same thing with their Felix Ravenna issues. The way I look at it, now that I know it means Emerita, the monogram is probably a continuation of the obverse legend of CIVITA, so that it makes CIVITA EMERITA ("City/town of Emerita")
Sorry Jango => I love you, but I know "zilch" about your coins ... Coin-on, brother!! => but "please" keep postin' em!! :high5:
Thanks guys. I don't really mind if you guys are not knowledgeable about my collecting area. As long as you are (even mildly) interested in what I post, thats cool with me. You all are the only ones I know (aside from my brother, and a couple of dealers) that care about and share my enthusiasm for ancient/medieval coins and their history.
Nice coin! FYI: The Visigoths fled to Austurias and began a new kingdom there. Under the knight Pelayo, which is now the Spanish word "to fight", the reconquista began. Though the Visigoths left little in the way of culture or language, they did leave the names behind: Rodriguez (son of Roderick), Enriquez (son of Heinrich), Guzman (Goodman), Valadez (son of the Bald=Bold, Valathos), Mendez/Menedez (son of Mendz), Hernandez (son of Ernand), etc... The Gothic nobility reformed and commanded a fighting force of some of the most fieriest warriors ever known on the peninsula: the Cantabri, Austurians, and Vascones (Basques). Thus began the christian reconquest of Spain from the Moors. After more than seven hundred years, the ancient Visigoths and their Celt-Iberian and Basque allies defeated and removed the last Moorish government/sultan in 1492. But...the story doesn't end there. In 1492 Columbus sailed for the Indies and as is well known he ended up in the Caribbean and accidentally discovered, what the Vikings (relatives of the Goths) had already come across, the new world. Some years later, the Spanish court decided to send explorers/adventures to the new world. Guess who these fellows were? The same reconquers from 1492, the descendents of the ancient Visigothic, Cantabri, Austurian and Basque warriors. These "conquistadors" sailed to the new world and began a campaign of conquest that hadn't been seen since the Hunnic invasions. Soon after the conquest of the Aztec Empire by Cortez, the Spanish descended upon the western part of New Spain/Mexico headed by Nuno de Guzman. His campaign was so vicious and brutal that nothing similar had been seen until the atrocities of WWII. Nevertheless he established the city of Guadalajara, after several attempts, and cemented the Spanish rule in the western part of New Spain/Mexico. Sometime after 1530, Spanish colonists began to arrive, which numbered around a hundred and twenty or so families. Of these families came the lesser nobility, the descendents of the ancient peoples mentioned above, to establish a new colony called the Real de Nueva Galicia (Kingdom of New Gaelic Land). Several wars were fought between the native/Indians and the Spanish colonists (Mixton War). Eventually, the encomiendas (slave plantations) were abolished and the natives were given the right to run their pueblos. Charles V of Spain then ordered the Spanish colonists to their ranches and haciendas in the hillish/mountainous regions of Jalisco, Zacatecas, and Aguascalientas. For the next three hundred years these Spanish colonists maintained their lineages and property. They became what is known today as Ältenos or highlanders. Surviving the Mexican Independence during the early part of the 19th century and Revolution of 1910, they were finally ousted from most of their lands during the presidency of the masonic Plutarco Calles (uncannily resembling Adolf Hitler) . For a dramatic visualization see the movie "For Greater Glory". The Ältenos then began their migration to the United States in the 1920's only to be thrown back to Mexico by the U.S. government between 1929 and 1939. Re-establishing their authority in their native lands, the Ältenos secured their ranches at home and began another migration to the US during WWII. At this time Anglo Americans had a difficult time understanding some of these Mexican immigrants. They were Caucasian, but spoke Spanish and were Catholic, and they were not the bronze skin coloured, relatively short and docile native population they had been used to seeing or dealing with. Establishing businesses and moving into Anglo neighborhoods in the late 1960's and 1970's they began to be called Spanish once more. A term they had not heard in over 125 years. As a side note: The Mexican government began a social program to unite the people after the Revolution of 1910 and the civil war that followed. The Cristero War of the 1920's had opened up a culture unknown to most Mexicans, that of the Ältenos. Rich in food, drink, music, dress, and activity the Mexican government decided to use this unique culture as their propaganda tool to the whole world. This is Mexico! These Ältenos have within their culture a mix of ancient Roman, Visigoth, Celt-Iberian, Moorish, and native Mexican traditions that seem to be the most unlikely of mixtures ever in one people. Recent DNA results of Caucasian Ältenos show a majority of Celtic, Balkan, and Nordic markers. A brief synopses of the book that I'm currently working on.
That was an awesome post! :thumb: Well done, I learned tons. I happen to be of Spanish descent myself (family is from South America), and (hopefully) of Visigoths farther down the line, so I have a personal connection to the Visigoths and their coinage. I'm hoping to acquire a couple of pre-Roman Iberian coins as well, to better represent my heritage in my collection.
I'm sure you might be. I am directly related to most of the "conquistadors" of the new world: Cortez, de Soto, Pizarro, Balboa, Guzman, etc... South America has had a more recent influx of Spanish migration than Mexico in terms of ten of thousands of people. Nonetheless, most of us who are are of Spanish heritage can trace back some Visigothic lines. English writers, historians, and anthropologists revel in debunking this along with liberal Mexican, South American and Spanish historians as well. Don't believe this! In other words, "the white mouse will not explode"! Spanish culture today is dominated by the gypsie/Jewish/moorish tendencies and though it is somewhat true, it is not definitely the whole story. Deep in our history lies the ancient truths. For instance my family still has a "Lares" an ancient Roman tradition of having a family shrine to your patron god, now saint. Complete with silver coins, candles, food, wine, holy water and pictures. Foods are a big distinction as well, back fat from the pig to cook food is a northern Spanish tradition as opposed to the use of olive oil found in most southern Spanish (ie: Sephardic and Moorish) dishes. Many "reconquistadores" found themselves in southern Spanish lands and took to those foods and cultures, but nevertheless remained distinctly northern in attitudes and prejudices. Though Mexico and some South American Spanish dialects reflect an Andalusian (southern Spanish) accent, this by no means suggests that many early colonists were of that (Andalusian culture) by way of blood or ethnicity. Many assumed the culture or traditions by way of necessity and as such transplanted those to the new world. Think of the Mariachi dress and dance and how similar it is to Andalusian style and at the same time listen to the melodies and watch the attitudes of the people involved an you'll also see many Austurian traits within it.
