Another barbarian invaded my collection!

...well, until it gets delivered that is

I managed to score this imo very nice Ostrogothic half-follis (20 nummi) coin. This is a lot better than most that I've seen and am just downright impatient for it to arrive, since Ostrogoth coins are one of my favorite series to collect (Ostrogothic coinage is all very scarce/rare).

For those that don't know, the Ostrogoths were a Germanic tribe that took post-Roman Italy in 493 AD by the urging of the Eastern Roman emperor Zeno and turned it into their kingdom with the capital at Ravenna. It was one of the kingdoms set up on the former Western Roman Empire (which fell in 476 AD; the end of classical Rome and the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe).

Curiously, like some other Ostrogothic coins with this obverse legend, INVICTA is misspelled as IMVICTA.

Under Theodoric or Athalaric, Ostrogothic Kingdom
AE Half-follis
Obv: IMVIC-TA ROMA, Roma helmeted, facing right
Rev: She-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, two stars above, XX (for 20 [nummi]) below
Rome mint, struck 493-534 AD
Ref: BMC 30


(seller's photos)

 

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Nice!! => I love the good ol' suckling twins!!

... great score, Jango!! (nice lookin' barbarian)

 

Did the Ostrogoths mint any unique designs, or were they basically modeled after Roman ones?

 

John, they had several derived from Roman types (monograms, wolf and twins, victory standing/advancing), a few unique types (like the eagles next to tree type, eagle standing), and solidi amd siliquae struck in the name of the Byzantine emperors (one way to demonstrate the Ostrogothic kings' subordinate status to the Byzantine emperors). Ostrogothic coins are post-Roman, but they definitely get their overall style and look from Roman and Byzantine coinage.

 

Sounds a lot like my Nabataeans - huge Greek influence, but over time developing into a distinctive style. I suppose if you're a culture minting new coins, you would want designs that are widely recognized and respected as money.

 

For the Ostrogothic kings, especially, in order to help win over the local Roman population they took as subjects.

 

Monograms, suckling wolves, eagles!! ...


=> Man, I'm always a bit surprised that most cultures didn't clone their coins after this lil' number?!! (an obvious classic, right?)








=> again, great coin Jango!! (congrats)

 

Steve, I'm not sure what's going on there but it does appear 'racy' indeed....

 

It's merely a horny ol' Satyr carrying-off a Nymph!! (same ol' typical thing that you'd see on any British Coin!!)

 

Like I said.......racy.........

 

It's a great coin, Jerry, but I've seen prettier nymphs. Just sayin'.

 

And I do need a hobby.......

 

JA ... ummm, is it her creepy claw-hand? (because she is very defensive about her claw-hand)​

​

 

Depends on how kinky one gets.........oh dear. Way off the line........

 

Thanks steve, knew you'd like my animal-coin

 

The nymphs on that series have a masculine quality to me, not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

Oh imagine the reaction of ancient Greek parents when their children brought that home with them

 

*Sigh* Steve...

 

Man JA, it must have been a very confusing up-bringing, if the dudes at your school looked kinda like that nymph!!

 

I like my nymphs to look like women. And no claw hands. Call me crazy.