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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Voulgaroktonou, post: 4471601, member: 84047&quot;]Thank you, Al, for a great write up and 2 wonderful coins!</p><p><br /></p><p>In addition to militarily reuniting the 2 halves of the old Roman Empire, Justinian also sought to build a unified administrative system, codifying Roman law that had developed over centuries. Since the 16th century his legislative work has been known as the Corpus Iuris Civilis. Part of the Corpus is his Novellae, or Novels. The dating of many of the copper coins from Justinian&#039;s year 12 onward is a result of his Novel 47 of 31 Aug. 537, which stipulated that legal and official documents should include the regnal year. It was felt that the copper coins fell into this category, so much of the reformed coinage of Justinian&#039;s year 12 onwards is dated.</p><p><br /></p><p>I&#039;m embarrassed to admit that before this morning, I had never actually READ the text of Novel 47, but I will give just a snippet here of the relevant section from Chapter 1:</p><p><br /></p><p>“Wherefore We order that all those officials employed in drawing up documents or decisions, no matter where this may be, and that the notaries who, in compliance with certain rules, draw up various instruments in this great city, or in other parts of the Empire, over which God has given Us the right to preside, shall begin as follows: &quot;The year of the reign of the Most Holy and August Emperor,&quot; and, afterwards insert the name of the Consul for that year, and then the indiction, month, and day; in order that the date may be entirely preserved by the mention of the reigning sovereign and the order of the consulate, and the other formalities be observed, as is customary, and when this has been done no changes should be made.”</p><p><br /></p><p>Trying to pick and show my favorite Justinians is like trying to illustrate my favorite child, or dog...so only one must suffice...</p><p><br /></p><p>Constantinople, 539/40. 23.83 gr. 42 mm. 7 hr. Sear 163; Hahn 95a; DO 38e; BNP 48; BM 50-1; R. 501. T. 100.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1112514[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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