The Last Romans

In the year 395 AD. Emperor Theodosius was ruling alone on the remains of the Roman Empire. That same year, The Empire was divided for ever between Eastern under Arcadius; and Western under Honorius.
Romulus Augustulus was the last Roman Emperor of the West Who was overthrown in the year 476. On the Eastern side, Emperor Leo I and his grand son Leo II were succeeded in 474 AD. by Emperor Zeno whose advent marked the beginning of the
BYZANTINE EMPIRE..
The following bronze coin was struck by Leo I ( 457- 476 ). The coinage by that time was very weak, namely the bronze one. There are too many varieties and errors that keep showing every day. I think we'd better shed some light on that obscure period marking the transition from Roman to Byzantine. The coin was struck in Constantinople. The reverse shows the Emperor holding a long cross, with a captive at foot. There's a star in the left field. CON in exergue ( C ). Weight : 1.11 g. Diameter 11 mm. RIC X- CON- 701. Sear 21452.
I managed to double the size and scan at maximum resolution.
N.B. There were too many imitations by the Vandals and other barbarian tribes.
Try to post any relevant coin if you like. Thanks..

 

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Theodosius the Great, the last emperor of East and West:

 

Nice capture of Leo I @7Calbrey ! I agree these late Empire coins are just a ghost of the type coins on the by-gone Republic or Earlier Empire!

I feel they went from Greek-realism to CARTOONS in the late-Empire...


RI Leo I 457-474 CE AE 4 10mm Salus Emp stdg hldg Globe and Standard


RI Theodosius I 379-395 CE AE 18mm Concordia


RI Honorius 393-343 AE3 15mm Arcadius and Honorius Stdg


RI Zeno 476-491 CE 2nd reign AE 10mm Monogram

 

Marcianus (450-457), who reigned before Leo I. AE Constantinopolis.
Obv. Draped, diademed and cuirassed bust. D N MARCIANVS P F AVG. Rev. Imperial monogram in wreath, under cross, CON in exergue. EF. 12 mm, 0.87 gr. RIC 543-5. Wildwinds: monogram 1. Sear 21395.
Large pic, but a tiny coin.

 

And here's a Vandal bronze from Africa, an imitation of a Honorius coin. Everybody knows their reputation, but maybe they dropped just one vase more than the Ostrogoths or the other barbabrians.
Carthage? 5th-6th century. Obv.: Diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right; crude legend around. Rev.: Victory crowning emperor’s head with wreath. 12.5 mm, 1.41 gr. Prototype: RIC X 62.

 

Theodosius I 379-395 A.D.

AE 23, 4.8 grams - Cyzicus A.D. 379-383

Obverse: DN THEODOSIVS PF AVG
Diademed, helmeted, draped, and cuirassed bust right, holding spear and shield

Reverse: GLORIA ROMANORVM
Theodosius standing left on galley, head right, raising hand, Victory at helm, wreath in left field

Mintmark: SMKB

Reference: RIC IX 14c.2, pg. 242

From the collection of Doug Smith

 

Honorius was Western Roman Emperor. Arcadius was over the East.

 

Arcadius, A.D. 395-408

AE21, 5.7 grams, Antioch mint

Obverse: D N ARCADI-VS P F AVG
Rosette-diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right

Reverse: GLORIA ROMANORVM
Emperor standing facing, head right, holding standard and globe

Mintmark: ANT

Reference: RIC IX Antioch 68C, pg. 294

 

@G.R.. Oh yes. Thank you very much for this acute correction. I've just edited after your signal. Honorius ruled over the West, whereas Arcadius ruled over the Eastern Empire.

 

West

Johannes
Mint: Rome
423 to 425 AD
AE 4
Obvs: DN IOHANN-ES PF AVG, Draped and cuiassed right.
Revs: SALVS REIPVBLICE, Victory advancing left, holding trophy over shoulder and dragging captive. Christogram to left.
11x12mm, 1.12g


Valentinian III
Mint: Rome
425 to 455 AD
AE Nummus
Obvs: Valentinian right.
Revs: (VI)CTOR(IA AVGG), Victory advancing left holding wreath and palm branch. T(RM)
9x10mm, 1.5g

East

Zeno(second reign)
477 to 491 AD
Mint: ?
AE 3
Obvs: DN ZE[ ] PE Λ, Helmeted, draped and cuirassed right.
Revs: No inscription, Victory advancing left, holding wreath and dragging captive. Chi-Rho to l
13mm, 1.0g


Leo I
457 to 474 AD
Constantinople
AE Nummus
Obvs: DN LEO PF AVG
Revs: Lion crouching, CON below.
11x12mm, 1.30g


Leo I
457 to 474 AD
AE Nummus
Obvs: DN LEO, Leo right.
Revs: Verina standing facing, holding globus cruciger and transverse scepter.
10x11mm, 1.17g

 

Great later examples @David@PCC ! And a great job in attributing those tiny coins.

 

COOL! A Johannes and Valentinian III @David@PCC

Have the Iohannes and Valentinian III:


RI Johannes 423-425 CE AE4 Nummus Victory RARE


RI Valentinian III 425-455 CE AE 9mm Rome mint

 

Theodosius II ruled over the Eastern Empire from the year 408 till 450 ( Nearly half a century ). I think he deserves a place here. The fastest coin that reached my hand was struck in Antioch with 3 Emperors on reverse. Poor condition though. RIC X - ANT- 155

 

These are tough little coins to get @7Calbrey !

Theodosius II:

RI Theodosius II 402-450 CE AE4 11mm Cross in Wreath

 

The latest I can go is the Zeno monogram AE4




I know I didn't post the obverse, but trust me, you aren't missing anything.

 

IMHO the last 'Roman' coin is this pre-reform (monogrammed) nummus of Anastasius. In a perfect world, Anastasius would have issued a post-reform coin with a large A on the reverse but his smallest regular issue was E=5. There are A coins of Anastasius and Justinian usually attributed to the Vandals from Carthage mint. It would be nice to know what you could buy with this coin when it was issued.
I don't have an Anastasius E but this is a Justin I. If you see full legend coins of this size, consider buying them.

 

Hmmm... I just have a POST-Reform Anastasius...


BZ Anastasius I 491-518 AE Post Reform Folles M monogram

 

Nice examples of late Roman coinage. The minting quality was pretty decent upto Severus III, then it really went downhill with the Western Empire. The Eastern side produced quality coinage during the decline in the West. Here is my Zeno.

 

My tiniest coin is of Theodosius II and has a cross in wreath on reverse. It was struck in Cyzicus.

 

Those are some very impressive coins you all have posted! These are my (basic) contributions to this group.


Theodosius I
AE2, Cyzicus mint, Struck 383-388 AD
D N THEODO-SIVS P F AVG, pearl diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
VIRTVS E-XERCITI, Emperor standing right, holding standard in right hand and globe in left; left foot on captive.
SMKA in exergue.
RIC IX 025(b), LRBC II 2565.
25-25mm


Arcadius
AE4, Antioch mint, Struck 383-393 AD
D N ARCADIUS P F AVG, pearl diademed, draped, and cuirassed bust right.
SALVS REI-PVBLICAE, victory walking right, holding trophy over shoulder, dragging a captive behind her, cross in left field.
ANT (gamma) in exergue.
RIC IX Antioch 67d, Sear 20852
12mm, 1.2g


I have always REALLY LOVED the high graphic nature of this tiny AE4!