The tiny crosses of the terminal empire were one of the first series of ancient coins that really gripped me. Up until recently, I kept every one I came across, but recently made the tough decision to prune it back to just my favorites. Maybe it's the elegant simplicity; maybe it's the thrill of *maybe* finding a Galla Placidia, but I still love them. So post em if you got em! Arcadius, CONCORDIA AVGGG, Kyzikos mint Theodosius II, Anepigraphic cross in wreath, Antioch mint - I love the unusual bust style on this one! I have a few more imperial issues, but apparently not imaged. I'll work on that.... While uncommon, the barbarians did produce imitations of these. Some are probably impossible to distinguish from the originals, but others are unmistakable This one is highly unusual for attempting to copy the CONCORDIA AVGGG reverse. All that's visible is -VO- And you think Aurelian had a big neck! Another fun one of bizarre style, legend of all I's Nearly a century later, the Vandals in Africa saw fit to copy these coins under their king Hilderic (523-530), who incidentally was the grandson of Valentinian III and great-grandson of Theodosius II Who else has some? Let's see some cross coins!
I have a couple that I was never able to ID. When I get home I will see if I can find them and post them.
Theodosius II (402 - 450 A.D.) Æ4 O: D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, diademed, draped and cuirassed bust right. R: cross in wreath, SMKB in exergue. Cyzicus Mint 1g 13mm RIC X 44
Out of the many dozens I came across in uncleaned lots, most were attributable. I believe this is the only one I have left. Honorius 404 to 406 AD AE 4 Obvs: (DN H)ONORI(VS PF AVG), Diademed right. Revs: (CON)COR DI(A AVGGG), Cross 10x11mm, 0.7g
I've got this lil guy, that when I last posted about it trying to ID it, ended up thinking it was maybe an imitation of a Vandal cross with the IIIII's around the cross and odd/interesting obv bust left(?). 10-11mm, 0.65g Or does anyone have any more enlightening ideas?
Theodosius II, Alexandria: Theodosius II, Antioch, cross on shield: Honorius, Heraclea: Honorius, Cyzicus: Vandals under Gaiseric or Huneric:
Galla Placidia, Western Roman Empire AE nummus Obv: D N GALLA PLA-CIDIA P F AVG, female, pearl-diademed bust right, wearing necklace and earrings Rev: SALVS REI-PVBLICE around cross, T in left field Mint: Rome Mintmark: RM Date: 425-437 AD Ref: RIC X 2111
I'm curious how you can distinguish the Vandalic issues from the 5th century Roman issues. I even bought a copy of Wroth, "Vandals" as a reference, but I still can't tell them apart. Can anyone enlighten me?
I'm also desirous of enlightenment. In this late-Roman/Vandalic/pre-Byzantine era of numismatics I rely almost totally on seller's attributions.
Ragged indeed! It *almost* looks like the intentionally serrated flans of some Seleucid types. Regardless... it has great character, and the reverse alone makes it a "keeper" in my book.
I have my suspicions that "vandals" is just a buzzword used to boost the price of regular old imitations of this type. I only feel confident about mine because they came in a CNG lot where all the coins had the same patina and about 20% of the lot were types only made by the Vandals while the rest were coins the Vandals would have had access to (mostly Marcian/Leo/Zeno monograms). The Vandal crosses I have seen usually have a bold cross potent inside a very thick wreath, and the drapery on the bust is usually of a fairly distinct style. That being said, neither of the two I posted in the OP have the legend "HILD REX" so maybe even I jumped the gun on the ID?
Speaking of ancient Roman coins with a Cross: See attached for my 26 different examples of Valentinian II SALVS REIPVLICAE AE4's which include various shapes/forms of a Cross. I have another 51 examples of the same emperor's SALVS REIPVBLICAE AE4 types which each include a form of Tau-Rho rather than a Cross. But those are for another day and another thread. I picked one emperor so as to gather various shapes/forms of Christian emblems across the Roman Empire in one relatively short time span, (375-392 A.D.). Not surprisingly there is quite a variety! It appears that despite the plethora of Cross and Tau-Rho varieties, none of this emperor's SALVS coins were produced with a true Chi-Rho. This despite the fact that a Chi-Rho appears as early as 327 AD.
"Priestly" Implements... sorry someone has to stand up for the Pagans!! Marcus Aurelius. As Caesar, AD 139-161. Æ As (25mm, 13.60 g, 12h). Rome mint. Struck under Antoninus Pius, AD 140-144. Bare head right / Implements of the augurate and pontificate: secespita, aspergillum, guttus, lituus, and simpulum. RIC III 1240a (Pius)